cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent Research on Occupational Animal Exposures and Health Risks: A Narrative Review.

In the last year, an increasing number of studies have reported on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) transmission in Africa and Asia and in migrant workers. We reviewed original research on occupational health and safety of animal workers published from January 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019, with a targeted focus on infectious disease studies published in these populations. Studies focused on occupational exposures to infectious agents, dust and allergens, pesticides, and occupational injury. Research on zoonotic MRSA used whole genome–sequencing technologies to evaluate transmission in Africa and Asia. Swine worker exposure to porcine coronavirus and emerging influenza A viruses was documented in China. 16s RNA amplicon sequencing identified distinct microbiota compositions in households with active animal farmers. Multiple bioaerosol exposures were assessed for industrial dairy workers. Occupational injury studies highlighted the struggles of Latino animal workers in the USA. These studies highlighted the global expansion of zoonotic antibiotic resistance and identified novel occupational zoonoses of concern. The integration of microbiome assessment and compound mixtures into the evaluation of dust and endotoxin exposures for animal workers marks a new direction for this work.
A correction method for RAPID fission matrix calculations with control rod movement

Abstract The RAPID radiation transport code, based on a fission matrix combination method, was initially designed for spent fuel systems but has been applied on reactor core neutronics analysis. To improve the accuracy of the RAPID fission-matrix approach, a ratio correction method has been applied to the reflector region and for heterogeneous adjacent assembly types. The RAPID code has been tested on a modified BEAVRS benchmark at hot zero power condition without control rods, and reports accurate results ( ∼ 0.52% 2-D, pin-wise RMS error with ∼ 25 pcm k e f f difference compared to a Serpent 2 reference). In this paper, we apply the assembly correction to rodded assemblies on different control rod bank worth calculations, as well as separate ratios on different slices in order to solve for the partially inserted control rod problems. It is shown that RAPID is able to estimate the control rod worth for different banks (a maximum 37 pcm error and most within 20 pcm). RAPID can also perform calculations on a partially inserted control rod case, reporting a maximum control rod worth error of 17 pcm across some insertion levels of bank D. In addition, another type of correction ratio method is proposed, namely the “localized” ratio. It makes use of sets of four-assembly fission matrices from criticality calculations and allows the choice of any fission source in ratio generation. It greatly reduces the errors located near large source gradient locations, which was observed with the “multiplied” correction ratio since it always assumes a uniform source.
Analysis of the duration and energy consumption of AES algorithms on a contiki-based IoT device

With the proliferation of IoT, securing the abundance of devices is critical. The current IoT and security landscapes lack empirical evidence on algorithms optimized for constrained devices. In this paper, we study the performance of various symmetric encryption algorithms on a Contiki-based IoT device. This paper provides encryption and decryption durations and energy consumption results on three symmetric encryption algorithm implementations of AES (tinyAES, B-Con's AES, and Contiki's own built-in AES), where we found algorithms specifically built for constrained devices fared much better than those not, optimized algorithms using about 0.16 the energy and the time to perform encryption and decryption.
The potential effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on the prevention and treatment of neonatal mice infected with human rotavirus

Objective To investigate the potential effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) on prevention and treatment of neonatal mice infected with human rotavirus (HRV). Methods Sixty 4-day-old kunming mice were randomly divided into control group. HRV infected group, L. acidophilus pretreated group (treated before HRV infection ) and L. acidophilus treated group(treated after HRV infection). The manifestation and pathological changes in small intestine of neonatal mice were observed. The HRV antigen in the feces and intestines were measured by ELISA and fluorescent-focus assay, respectively. Results The severity and duration of diarrhea as well as mortality in L. acidophilus pretreated group and treated group were lower than those in HRV infected group. The duration of HRV-antigens shedding following infection was considerably prolonged in HRV infected group compared to that in L. acidophilus pretreated group and treated group. Furthermore, decreased expression of HRV antigen and little pathological changes in intestinal mucosa were found in L. acidophilus pretreated group and treated group when compared with HRV infected group. Conclusion L. acidophilus may be used as an alternative approach for the prevention and treatment of neonatal mice infected with HRV. Key words: Rotavirus; Lactobacillus acidophilus ; Neonatal mice; Diarrhea; Intestinal mucosa
Fighting Voice Spam with a Virtual Assistant Prototype.

Mass robocalls affect millions of people on a daily basis. Unfortunately, most current defenses against robocalls rely on phone blocklists and are ineffective against caller ID spoofing. To enable the detection of spoofed robocalls, we propose a {\em virtual assistant} application that could be integrated on smartphones to automatically vet incoming calls. Similar to a human assistant, the virtual assistant can pick up an incoming call and screen it without user interruption to determine if the call is unwanted. Via a user study, we show that our virtual assistant is able to preserve the user experience of a typical phone call. At the same time, we show that our system can detect mass robocalls without negatively impacting legitimate callers.
Making coherent senses of success in scientific modeling

Making sense of why something succeeded or failed is central to scientific practice: it provides an interpretation of what happened, i.e. an hypothesized explanation for the results, that informs scientists’ deliberations over their next steps. In philosophy, the realism debate has dominated the project of making sense of scientists’ success and failure claims, restricting its focus to whether truth or reliability best explain science’s most secure successes. Our aim, in contrast, will be to expand and advance the practice-oriented project sketched by Arthur Fine in his work on the Natural Ontological Attitude. An important obstacle to articulating a positive program, we suggest, has been overlooking how scientists adopt standardized rules and procedures in order to define and operationalize meanings for success and failure relative to their situated goals. To help fill this gap, we introduce two new ideas, design specifications and track records, and show how they advance our ability to make sense of scientific modeling practices while maintaining a deflationary stance toward the realism debate.
Pulmonary Vasodilator Use in Children with Heterotaxy Syndrome Undergoing Surgical Intervention for Congenital Heart Disease

Purpose Patients with heterotaxy syndrome have a high rate of congenital heart disease, often requiring surgical interventions, including palliative procedures to augment or restrict pulmonary blood flow. Pulmonary hypertension in this setting complicates surgical interventions and overall management. Pulmonary vasodilators may be used to treat pulmonary hypertension and facilitate surgical interventions. We describe the use of pulmonary vasodilators in patients with heterotaxy syndrome. Methods Single-center retrospective chart review of patients with heterotaxy syndrome who underwent at least one cardiac operation from Jan 1 2008 to Oct 31 2019. The diagnosis of heterotaxy syndrome was established from imaging studies performed prior to intervention. Surgical interventions were reviewed from operative reports. Pulmonary vasodilator use was assessed from progress notes and medication reconciliation at all inpatient and outpatient encounters. Results Thirty-four patients with heterotaxy syndrome were treated at our center during the study period, with follow up ranging from 18 to 3385 days. Palliative surgical interventions included restriction of pulmonary blood flow in 8 patients and augmentation of pulmonary blood flow in 11 patients. Pulmonary vasodilators were used in 16 patients (47%): 7 (20%) received inhaled nitric oxide while admitted, 3 (9%) received supplemental oxygen as outpatients, 12 (35%) received sildenafil as outpatients, 5 (14%) received multiple agents. Treatment was initiated in the inpatient setting in all patients. All patients on supplemental oxygen and the majority of patients on sildenafil continued on treatment at most recent follow up (10 patients, 83% of patients ever prescribed). There was no difference in pulmonary vasodilator use when stratified by surgical palliation strategy, and no differences in survival between patients with and without pulmonary vasodilator use. Conclusion Pulmonary vasodilator use is common in patients with heterotaxy syndrome undergoing surgical interventions for congenital heart disease. It is typically initiated in the inpatient setting but well-tolerated on a long-term basis, and may facilitate treatment in this challenging population.
Two Metrics on Rooted Unordered Trees with Labels.

On the space of rooted trees with possibly repeated labels, where all vertices are unordered, we define two metrics: the best-match metric and the left-regular metric. On the space of rooted trees with possibly repeated labels, where vertices can be ordered or unordered, we cannot define a proper metric. However, the best-match metric can be slightly modified to become a semimetric on this space. To compute the best-match distance between two trees, the expected time complexity and worst-case complexity are both $\mathcal{O}(n^2)$, where $n$ is the tree size. To compute the left-regular distance between two trees, the expected time complexity is $\mathcal{O}(n)$, and the worst-case time complexity is $\mathcal{O}(n\log n)$. Such metrics (semimetric) can be used to compare developmental trees, which describe embryogenesis in developmental biology.
Mary Robinson and the Costs of Animal Labor

Mary Robinson’s Lyrical Tales (1800) has long been understood as a retort to William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s first edition of Lyrical Ballads (1798) and has long been admired for i...
Spitz Nevus: Review and Update.

The Spitz nevus is an uncommon melanocytic nevus. These lesions classically appear in childhood as a red, dome-shaped papule. They appear rarely in adults and may be pigmented. The Spitz nevus can develop suddenly and grow rapidly, reaching a 1-cm diameter in 6 months or less. There are 3 classes of spitzoid neoplasms: typical Spitz nevus, atypical Spitz nevus, and spitzoid melanoma. The diagnosis should be cautiously differentiated, especially in children. Immunohistochemistry and molecular studies have been helpful in differentiating difficult cases; however, no set of criteria has been accepted to predict biological behavior of atypical Spitz nevi.
Academic pediatric surgery - The German perspective.

Abstract Today Pediatric surgery has become well established as fix point in the operative care of infants and children in Germany. The academic platform has traditionally been a strong driver for this development. However, as in other places around the world, academic pediatric surgery in Germany is currently facing relevant challenges. These challenges include internal aspects of the field (for example the broad spectrum with a rapidly ongoing development towards sub-specialization) but also external aspects (for example political specifications in form of the working hours act). Out of over 230 pediatric surgical institutions in Germany, only 33 are University-based. Sixteen of those 33 institutions are completely independent, whereas the other 18 are based within adult surgical University departments. In this article the authors give an overview over the current status of academic Pediatric surgery in Germany with its challenges and perspectives.
Drug Interactions in Palliative Cancer Care and Oncology

As palliative care expands into the outpatient clinic, the potential for drug interactions increases as patients that are on active treatment for their cancer are also receiving coordinated management for symptoms such as pain, depression, and nausea and vomiting. The drugs used in inpatient palliative care for patients with advanced illness but not on active management of their malignancy must now be reviewed for potential interactions with both older and newer oncology drugs. Reported frequencies of drug interactions in oncology range from 12 to 63 %; and in palliative care they range from 31 to 43 %. Among the drugs which are most likely to cause interactions, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, warfarin, antiemetics, and antipsychotics still account for the largest proportion of reports in survey literature. Many of these interactions are pharmacodynamic. Recently, prolongation of the QT interval has become a pharmacodynamic effect of increasing concern with antidepressants, methadone, and many of the newer oral oncology agents.
Tolerance of piglets to injected fluids.

SUMMARY Porcine serum or 5% dextrose in physiological saline was injected at different levels by the intraperitoneal route into normal neonatal piglets. Since tolerance to commercial anti-erysipelas serum was very restricted, serum from slaughter pigs was sterilized with 99% beta-propiolactone (BPL). This serum was tolerated at least as well as the dextrose-saline mixture. No mortality occurred when piglets were injected with either the dextrose-saline or the BPL-sterilized porcine serum at 8% of their body weight administered in equally divided doses 8 h apart and repeated 24 h later.
The Effect of Actinomycin D on Post-phenobarbital Activity of Hepatic Microsomal Drug-metabolizing Enzymes in the Rat

Abstract Administration of actinomycin D to rats, 24 hours after phenobarbital pretreatment, did not sustain or enhance the phenobarbital-induced increased activity of two hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes. This was true whether the phenobarbital was given as a single dose or as multiple doses and at either of two doses of actinomycin D. No evidence for a repressor of hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes was obtained in these studies.
The Imperial Security State: British Colonial Knowledge and Empire-Building in Asia

1. Introduction 2. The military revolution of the nineteenth century 3. Imperial state formation, the professionalization of the army, and the making of experts 4. Forming intelligence, making an archive 5. Disciplining the space of Asia: triangulation and route books 6. Regulating the facts of Asia: military reports and handbooks 7. The uses of intelligence 8. The effects of the imperial security regime in Asia and Great Britain 9. Imperial security and the transformation of Asia Bibliography.
Exploring the Impact of Social Norms and Online Shopping Anxiety in the Adoption of Online Apparel Shopping by Indian Consumers

The aim of this article is to investigate the relationship between subjective norms, technology anxiety, and other technology acceptance model variables to understand Indian consumers' attitudes and intention to shop for apparel via the Internet. Structural equation modeling was employed to evaluate the research model in determining model fit and significant paths. The subjective norm was found to have a major influence on perceived ease of use, contradictory to previous research. Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness were found to be important determinants of the intention to shop for apparel online. Indian consumers did not report any technology anxiety. This article provides an initial insight for retailers and researchers that could aid in evaluating entry strategies into online apparel retailing. The research adds to the sparse literature concerning online apparel retailing and consumer shopping behavior in the growing Indian online apparel market.
Diffusion of Innovation

An innovation is an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as being new by an individual or other unit of adoption. Diffusion refers to the spread of an innovation across social groups or markets over time. This article briefly relates the concept of diffusion to the Bass diffusion model and the product life cycle; examines the influences of the characteristics of the innovation, the characteristics of the adopters and firm strategy on innovation diffusion; and describes key research trends in the area of global diffusion. Keywords: diffusion of innovations; innovation; technology S-curves; new products; Bass model; product life cycle; global marketing
Dominant Owners and Financial Performance of Continental European Firms

We examine countries in continental Europe to further refine the distinction between ability to control and actual control and whether a particular distinct shareholder distribution relates to company performance. As an extension to the existing literature, we provide a more nuanced taxonomy of controlling shareholder systems in different countries. In particular, we (1) operationalize the definition of “dominant” owner, to make this measure less sensitive to the disparity of voting and cash flow rights and (2) empirically test the active power of the dominant owners by investigating whether the economic performance of the firms from different countries is consistently affected by the nature of the company’s dominant owner. After disaggregating the overall sample by specific ownership type and by country, we find statistical support for the relationship between dominant ownership and performance being strongly positive for firms in which banks and families/individuals are dominant owners to being inversely related (p ≤ 0.1) when corporations are the dominant owners. Additional analysis discloses an even more complicated picture, suggesting that countries are not homogenous in terms of their ownership landscapes, and, hence, their effects on performance.
Differentiability and Its Implications

In many cases the functions we consider are differentiable. In this chapter we examine the dynamical information contained in the derivative of the function.
Electrophysiological and morphological properties of neurons in the ventral horn of the turtle spinal cord.

Abstract In this report, we present recent findings on the electrophysiological and morphological properties of spinal motoneurons (MNs) and interneurons (INs) of the adult turtle which were studied in slices of the spinal cord. The range of values for the measured electrophysiological parameters in 96 tested cells included: resting potential, −57 to −83 mV; input resistance, 2.5–344 MΩ; time constant, 2.5–63 ms; rheobase current, 0.04–5.3 nA; after-hyperpolarization (AHP) duration, 72–426 ms; AHP half-decay time; 11–212 ms; and, slope of the stimulus current-spike frequency relationship, 3.4–235 Hz/nA. For another 20 cells, we made both morphological and electrophysiological measurements (the latter values within the above ranges). Their ranges in morphological properties included: soma diameter, 20–54 μm; soma surface area, 299–2045 μm 2 ; soma volume, 2.3–45 μm 3 × 10 4 ; rostro-caudal dendritic projection distance, 150–1200 μm; and, sum of dendritic lengths, 1.5–16 μm × 10 3 . The emphasized findings include: 1) the quality and robustness of the intracellular recordings, which enabled accurate measurement of the action potential's shape parameters (spike, afterhyperpolarization [AHP]); 2) the substantial AHP of the INs'AP; 3) no single action-potential shape parameter (nor combination of parameters) being cardinal for its (or their combined) changes matching the profile of the initial and later phases of spike-frequency adaptation; 4) the utility and flexibility of a cluster analysis (using varying combinations of passive, transitional and active cell properties) for providing a provisional classification of low (like cat S) and high (like cat F) threshold MNs, and groups of INs with non-spontaneous versus spontaneous discharge; 5) the clear-cut morphological confirmation of the provisional classification strategy; 6) the basis for testing the possibility that one of the provisionally classified MN types innervates non-twitch muscle fibers; and 7) the heuristic value of comparing the properties of MNs versus INs across vertebrate species, with an emphasis on the lamprey, turtle, and cat.
Novel Binding Motif of ACTH Analogues at the Melanocortin Receptors

The melanocortin receptor (MCR) subtype family is a member of the GPCR superfamily, and each of them has a different pharmacological profile with regard to the relative potency of the endogenous and synthetic melanocortin peptides. α-MSH and ACTH are endogenous nonselective agonists for MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R. In this study, we examined the role of Phe7 in ACTH on human (h) MC1R, MC3R, and MC4R binding and signaling. Our results indicate that substitution of Phe7 with d-Nal(2′)7 in ACTH1−24 yields a pharmacological profile different from that for substitution of Phe7 with d-Nal(2′)7 in MSH in hMC1R, hMC3R, and hMC4R. N-d-Nal(2′)7-ACTH1−24 is an agonist at hMC3R and hMC4R which did not change the peptide from an agonist to an antagonist at hMC3R and hMC4R. Further experiments indicate that N-d-Nal(2′)7-ACTH1−17 is the minimal peptide required for hMC3R and hMC4R activation. Single-amino acid substitution studies of d-Nal(2′)7-ACTH1−17 indicate that amino acid residues 15−17 in N-d-Nal(2′)7-ACTH1−17 are...
Asian favors: More than a cookie cutter approach

Using social exchange theory, we explore the exchange of favors and different rules of exchanges in China, Japan, and India. Although social exchange theorists have directed their attention to the universality of the norms of reciprocation and have indicated the prevalence of an instrumental view of reciprocity, we elaborate on the cross-cultural variations that exist regarding the way individuals view and apply the principle of reciprocation in the countries which we examine. To understand these variations, we discuss the pivotal cultural/historical conditions that seem to shape social exchanges and therefore country differences in favors exchanges. For example, while social relationships and the collective play a preponderant role in these three countries, the exchange of favors in China and India is primarily based on hierarchically-defined and ascriptive ties compared to Japan where relationships’ formation go beyond ethnicity, kinship, and family-oriented ties and are likely to be defined by the group membership. Finally, we end our discussion of favors by highlighting the bright and dark sides focusing on their use in the organizational milieu. We believe that examining favors in various Eastern contexts will advance social exchange theory by describing the social and historical construction of the rules of exchanges governing their use.
Regulation of Hepatitis C Virion Production via Phosphorylation of the NS5A Protein

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant pathogen, infecting some 170 million people worldwide. Persistent virus infection often leads to cirrhosis and liver cancer. In the infected cell many RNA directed processes must occur to maintain and spread infection. Viral genomic RNA is constantly replicating, serving as template for translation, and being packaged into new virus particles; processes that cannot occur simultaneously. Little is known about the regulation of these events. The viral NS5A phosphoprotein has been proposed as a regulator of events in the HCV life cycle for years, but the details have remained enigmatic. NS5A is a three-domain protein and the requirement of domains I and II for RNA replication is well documented. NS5A domain III is not required for RNA replication, and the function of this region in the HCV lifecycle is unknown. We have identified a small deletion in domain III that disrupts the production of infectious virus particles without altering the efficiency of HCV RNA replication. This deletion disrupts virus production at an early stage of assembly, as no intracellular virus is generated and no viral RNA and nucleocapsid protein are released from cells. Genetic mapping has indicated a single serine residue within the deletion is responsible for the observed phenotype. This serine residue lies within a casein kinase II consensus motif, and mutations that mimic phosphorylation suggest that phosphorylation at this position regulates the production of infectious virus. We have shown by genetic silencing and chemical inhibition experiments that NS5A requires casein kinase II phosphorylation at this position for virion production. A mutation that mimics phosphorylation at this position is insensitive to these manipulations of casein kinase II activity. These data provide the first evidence for a function of the domain III of NS5A and implicate NS5A as an important regulator of the RNA replication and virion assembly of HCV. The ability to uncouple virus production from RNA replication, as described herein, may be useful in understanding HCV assembly and may be therapeutically important.
Environmental Reviews and Case Studies: Mapping Landscape Values: Issues, Challenges and Lessons Learned from Field Work on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington

In order to inform natural resource policy and land management decisions, landscape values mapping (LVM) is increasingly used to collect data about the meanings that people attach to places and the activities associated with those places. This type of mapping provides geographically referenced data on areas of high density of values or associated with different types of values. This article focuses on issues and challenges that commonly occur in LVM, drawing on lessons learned in the US Forest Service Olympic Peninsula Human Ecology Mapping Project. The discussion covers choosing a spatial scale for collecting data, creating the base map, developing data collection strategies, the use of ascribed versus assigned values, and the pros and cons of different mapping formats. Understanding the common issues and challenges in LVM will assist policy makers, land managers, and researchers in designing a LVM project that effectively balances project goals, time and budgetary constraints, and personnel resources in...
Bioadhesive Polymers as Platforms for Oral Controlled Drug Delivery III: Oral Delivery of Chlorothiazide Using a Bioadhesive Polymer

Bioadhesive polymers that bind to the gastric mucin or epithelial cell surface are useful in drug delivery for the purposes of (a) retaining a dosage from in the Gl tract and (b) increasing the intimacy and duration of contact of drug with the absorbing membrane. Polycarbophil has previously been shown to have bioadhesive properties in the rat stomach and small intestine and was employed in the present study with a sustained-release delivery system to demonstrate improved drug delivery. Using chlorothiazide as the model drug, drug containing albumin beads were prepared and used as the sustained-release system. The beads were physically mixed with equally sized particles of polycarbophil and placed in a capsule to produce a bioadhesive dosage form. When the dosage form contacts the stomach, the gelatin capsule dissolves, exposing the polycarbophil to the bathing fluid. The bioadhesive polymer rapidly hydrates, retaining the albumin beads and attaching to the mucin coating of the stomach. Plasma drug levels in rats showed a longer duration of action and greater bioavailability for the bioadhesive dosage form than for either albumin beads or drug powder alone. The results suggest that the principle of bioadhesion can significantly improve therapy, due to a reduced rate of gastric emptying, an increase in contact time, and the intimacy of contact of the drug with the absorbing membrane.
Singularity analysis of the AKT signaling pathway reveals connections between cancer and metabolic diseases

Connections between cancer and metabolic diseases may consist in the complex network of interactions among a common set of biomolecules. By applying singularity and bifurcation analysis, the phenotypes constrained by the AKT signaling pathway are identified and mapped onto the parameter space, which include cancer and certain metabolic diseases. By considering physiologic properties (sensitivity, robustness and adaptivity) the AKT pathway must possess in order to efficiently sense growth factors and nutrients, the region of normal responses is located. To optimize these properties, the intracellular concentration of the AKT protein must be sufficiently high to saturate its enzymes; the strength of the positive feedback must be stronger than that of the negative feedback. The analysis illuminates the parameter space and reveals system-level mechanisms in regulating biological functions (cell growth, survival, proliferation and metabolism) and how their deregulation may lead to the development of diseases. The analytical expressions summarize the synergistic interactions among many molecules, which provides valuable insights into therapeutic interventions. In particular, a strategy for overcoming the limitations of mTOR inhibition is proposed for cancer therapy.
Impact of cruciferous trap crops on lepidopteran pests of cabbage in Hawaii

The objective of this study was to determine if trap crops of Indian mustard, Brassica juncea (L.) Czern., and ‘Tastie’ head cabbage, Brassica oleracea variety capitata L., grown alongside a main crop of ‘Scorpio’ head cabbage would significantly reduce lepidopteran pest numbers and improve yields on the main crop. For the 2 most economically important lepidopteran pests in the trials, diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), and imported cabbageworm, Pieris rapae (L.), significantly higher numbers were found on trap-cropped Scorpio than on monoculture Scorpio for certain key sampling dates. Numbers of Plutella xylostella were higher on the trap crops than on trap-cropped Scorpio for certain key dates. It appears that Indian mustard and Tastie cabbage acted effectively as attractants, but through an undetermined mechanism contamination of the adjacent Scorpio crop occurred. There were no significant differences in yield or marketability between monoculture Scorpio and trap-cropped Scorpio. Various changes in agroecosystem management might allow the attractiveness of the trap crops to be used in a beneficial manner. Indian mustard and Tastie cabbage show potential for use as trap crops for Hellula undalis (F.), cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), and green garden looper, Chrysodeixis eriosoma (Doubleday). An understanding of the mechanisms that explain the movement of Lepidoptera within vegetationally diverse agroecosystems would be useful for on-farm implementation of this technique. Problems inherent in field experiments that compare the effects of different cropping systems on mobile insect populations are also discussed.
Targeting procedures for energy savings by heat integration across plants

Heat integration across plants can be accomplished either directly using process streams or indirectly using intermediate fluids. By applying pinch analysis to a system of two plants, it is first shown that the heat transfer leading effectively to energy savings occurs at temperature levels between the pinch points of both plants. In some cases, however, heat transfer in other regions is required to attain maximum savings. A systematic procedure to identify energy-saving targets is discussed, as well as a strategy to determine the minimum number of intermediate-fluid circuits needed to achieve maximum savings. An MILP problem is proposed to determine the optimum location of the intermediate fluid circuits. The use of steam as intermediate fluid and extensions to a system of more than two plants are discussed.
Variables Affecting Productivity in Special Education Researchers

This study presents the results of a survey of special education researchers on variables that might affect research and publication productivity. The subjects were divided into three groups: low producers, intermediate producers, and high producers. The data were analyzed using the Kruskall-Wallis one-way analysis of ranks and the chi-square test. Statistically significant results were obtained for five variables: teaching load, participation in research during graduate training, sources of support for research, availability of graduate assistants, and attitude toward research. The results are discussed and suggestions offered on how colleges of education might increase the productivity of their faculties.
Chemical regulation of growth, yield, and digestibility of alfalfa and smooth bromegrass

In addition to enabling manipulation of plant growth and development, growth regulators have potential for increasing forage digestibility. This study focuses on the use of gibberellic acid (GA3), α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), o-benzylhydroxylamine (OBHA), and monocetyl phosphate (C16P) to alter growth, dry weight (DW) yield, and in vitro digestible dry matter (IVDDM) of forage grasses and legumes grown in a greenhouse. Screening experiments revealed that GA3, NAA, and OBHA at rates of 1.6, 160, and 0.51 g a.i. ha−1, respectively, were more effective in altering regrowth of potted alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) compared with other treatments. Subsequent experiments with increasing dosages of GA3, NAA, and OBHA on alfalfa and smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) confirmed that these regulators can be used to manipulate forage growth. Increasing concentrations of GA3 increased growth and DW yield but decreased IVDDM, whereas high concentrations of NAA decreased growth and DW yield but increased IVDDM. OBHA treatments resulted in little or negative change in IVDDM. Results generally showed that plant growth regulators can be used to manipulate forage growth, but that there is a trade-off between herbage yield and digestibility of forage tissues.
Selective sensing of metalloproteins from nonselective binding using a fluorogenic amphiphilic polymer

Nonconjugated fluorogenic amphiphilic polymers containing an anthracene chromophore exhibit fluorescence quenching in the presence of metalloproteins, although the binding of the polymer to proteins is not selective. The reason for this difference is that the possible conformational changes that protein binding could bring about on a polymer do not affect the fluorescence properties of a pendent chromophore in nonconjugated polymers. This is in contrast to the nonspecific binding and response found with conjugated polymers to proteins.
The Emotional Contours and Career Trajectories of (Disappointed) Reform Enthusiasts

ABSTRACT Three individual cases, drawn from a larger body of case study data, illuminate a relatively unexamined aspect of teachers’ participation in large‐scale reform‐‐teachers’ experience of heightened emotionality and its relationship to career discontinuity or career risk. Disappointed reform enthusiasts point to three conditions that intensify emotional responses to reform and appear to result in career turning points: (1) the nature and extent of reform‐related conflict within salient work groups; (2) the degree of equilibrium among multiple sources of pressure and support; (3) institutional or administrative capacity to manage the pace, scale and dynamics of reform.
Precursor of advanced glycation end products mediates ER-stress-induced caspase-3 activation of human dermal fibroblasts through NAD(P)H oxidase 4.

Background The precursor for advanced glycation end products, 3-deoxyglucosone (3DG) is highly upregulated in skin explants of diabetic cutaneous wounds, and has been shown to negatively impact dermal fibroblasts, which are crucial in wound remodeling. 3DG induces apoptosis however; the mechanisms involved in the apoptotic action of 3DG in the pathogenesis of diabetic chronic wounds are poorly understood. Therefore, we sought to delineate novel mechanisms involved with the 3DG-collagen induced apoptosis.
The Steak Dinner—A Professional Boundary Crossing

Maintaining professional boundaries enables clinicians to keep their patients' best interests in mind. Palliative care clinicians may be at risk for professional boundary crossings because of the intimate nature of caring for people with life-threatening illnesses. In some instances, boundary crossings can be beneficial to the patient, but must be considered thoughtfully and with trusted others. We describe the case of a primary care physician and clinic nurse who were asked by a long-time clinic patient, who was now terminally ill, to join him for a steak dinner. We discuss the approach that the physician and nurse took in deciding about whether the boundary crossing was ethically permissible. We also offer sample questions for palliative care clinicians to consider when thinking about their actions.
HJB-based optimal nonlinear control for multiple objectives in different levels of excitations

Linear control laws are the most common control strategies, primarily due to their simplicity in both design and implementation. While there are a multitude of accepted techniques for designing linear control strategies for mitigating the response of structures due to external loads and excitations, there are no elegant and widely-applied nonlinear methods. While the optimal linear control law that minimizes a quadratic cost function can be carried out simply with standard tools (e.g., MATLAB's lqr command), a nonquadratic cost function leads to a Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) partial differential equation that results in an optimal nonlinear controller. However, finding the exact analytical solution of the HJB equation is very difficult; it may only have a solution when the cost function is cast in a particular form. This paper suggests a particular form of a nonlinear control law for civil structures designed to minimize one objective (a serviceability and performance measure) for small excitation and small response, and a different objective (life safety) for larger motion. An analytical approach is presented to cast the nonquadratic cost function in a form for which the HJB equation can be solved. The resulting optimal nonlinear control law can be written as the sum of a linear term, which is related to an LQR problem and is effective in small excitations, and some nonlinear terms that dominate when the excitation level is large. The performance of the proposed nonlinear control strategy is demonstrated by a numerical simulation for a simple building model subjected to different historical earthquakes and a synthetic ground motion, showing that it can successfully achieve both life safety (drift reduction) and serviceability (acceleration reduction) objectives at different excitation levels.
Analysis of spontaneous frameshift mutations in REV1 and rev1-1 strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract Frameshift mutations occur by a number of mechanisms. To better understand the nature of these mechanisms, we determined the DNA sequence changes of 232 independent, spontaneous frameshift mutations in the HIS4 gene of REV1 and rev1-1 strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. All frameshift mutants were selected based on their ability to revert the +1 frameshift mutation his4-38. DNA sequence information was recovered using two approaches -the double-strand gap repair of plasmid pMP4, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using these techniques, saturated mutation spectra for the spontaneous reversion of his4 - 38 were generated. The most frequently occurring mutational events in both strains were −1 frameshifts, but +2 frameshifts, larger deletions, larger insertions and more complex mutations were also observed. Between the REV1 and rev1-1 strains, we noticed a significant difference in the distribution of −1 frameshift mutations. In addition, while for −1 frameshift events there was no significant difference between the reversion spectra determined by double-strand gap repair or PCR, there was a surprisingly significant difference between the types of frameshift mutations recovered by double-strand gap repair (only −1 frameshifts and one +2 frameshift), and those recovered using PCR (−1 frameshifts, +2 frameshifts, larger deletions and insertions, and more complex mutations). This difference may reflect a selectional mechanism inherent in double-strand break repair that avoids chromosomal sequences which include complex alterations.
Targeting CD4(+) T cells for the treatment of sarcoidosis: a promising strategy?

Sarcoidois is an inflammatory disease of unknown origin characterized by the abnormal accumulation of noncaseating granulomas at sites of disease activity in multiple organs throughout the body with a predilection for the lungs. Because the exact trigger that leads to disease activity is still under investigation, current treatment options are contingent on the organ or organs affected. Corticosteroids are the therapy of choice, but antimalarials and TNF-α antagonists are also commonly prescribed. Recent findings provide evidence for the use of CD20 B-cell-depleting therapy as an alternative method of choice. However, because sarcoidosis is predominantly a T-helper cell-driven disorder, an overwhelming amount of compelling evidence exists for the use of CD4+ T-cell targeted therapy.
Preventing heat-related illness among agricultural workers

ABSTRACT Hyperthermia from exertion and environmental conditions during agricultural work manifests itself by various symptoms and may lead to death. From 1992 through 2006, 68 workers employed in crop production and related services died from heat-related illness. The crop worker fatality rate averaged 4 heat-related deaths per one million workers per year—20 times higher than the 0.2 rate for US civilian workers overall. Many of the agricultural workers who died were foreign-born. Foreign-born workers tend to have limited English language skills and often are not acclimatized to exertion in hot weather when beginning seasonal jobs. Increased recognition of heat hazards to agricultural workers, in particular, has stimulated concern among employers, workers, and public policy makers. California and Washington have led the nation in adopting workplace safety standards designed to prevent heat-related illnesses. These state regulations include new specific requirements for employer provision of drinking wat...
Trailing Edge Noise From Blunt and Sharp Edge Geometries

The objective of this study was to experimentally investigate the broadband trailing edge noise generated by a sharp trailing edge geometry and an asymmetric blunt edge. The flow field in the vicinity of the sharp trailing edge was found to be equivalent to that of a flat plate turbulent boundary layer. The interaction of the two boundary layers with the edge was responsible for broadband noise generation. The blunt trailing edge geometry exhibited additional complexity, with turbulent boundary layer separation and sound generated by vortex shedding. The measurement program included hot-wire anemometry, unsteady surface pressure, and radiated sound utilizing two microphone arrays. The boundary layer parameters and wall pressure spectra were used to compute the radiated sound from existing scattering theory. These calculations agreed very well with the array data, with differences typically within 2dB over the frequency range considered valid for the theory.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
The avian C/EBPγ gene encodes a highly conserved leucine zipper transcription factor

Abstract The C/EBP family of transcription factors regulates viral and cellular CCAAT/enhancer element-mediated transcription. We report the isolation and characterization of genomic and cDNA clones encoding avian CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-y (C/EBPγ). A partial cDNA clone for a C/EBP-related gene was previously identified by expression library screening for proteins binding the A1 CCAAT/enhancer motif from the avian leukosis virus long terminal repeat [W. Bowers and A. Ruddell (1992) J. Virol. 66, 6578–6586]. Additional cDNA and genomic clones were generated and sequenced to identify the complete protein coding sequence of this gene. Sequence analysis indicates that this gene encodes the avian homolog of C/EBPγ. As with the murine C/EBPγ homolog, the avian C/EBPγ gene is comprised of two exons, with the open reading frame encoded in exon 2. The 150-aa C/EBPγ protein is highly conserved, as the avian protein shows more than 80% identity with the murine and human homologs. The sequence of the initiation methionine (−3 caaAUGa + 4) from the 150-aa open reading frame has a non-optimal Kozak initiation sequence. In vitro transcription and translation assay of this avian cDNA followed by radioimmunoprecipitation assay using a murine C/EBPy antiserum indicates that this non-optimal initiation codon is used to express a 22-kDa DNA-binding protein.
The Role of S4 Charges in Voltage-dependent and Voltage-independent KCNQ1 Potassium Channel Complexes

Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels extend their functional repertoire by coassembling with MinK-related peptides (MiRPs). MinK slows the activation of channels formed with KCNQ1 α subunits to generate the voltage-dependent IKs channel in human heart; MiRP1 and MiRP2 remove the voltage dependence of KCNQ1 to generate potassium “leak” currents in gastrointestinal epithelia. Other Kv α subunits interact with MiRP1 and MiRP2 but without loss of voltage dependence; the mechanism for this disparity is unknown. Here, sequence alignments revealed that the voltage-sensing S4 domain of KCNQ1 bears lower net charge (+3) than that of any other eukaryotic voltage-gated ion channel. We therefore examined the role of KCNQ1 S4 charges in channel activation using alanine-scanning mutagenesis and two-electrode voltage clamp. Alanine replacement of R231, at the N-terminal side of S4, produced constitutive activation in homomeric KCNQ1 channels, a phenomenon not observed with previous single amino acid substitutions in S4 of other channels. Homomeric KCNQ4 channels were also made constitutively active by mutagenesis to mimic the S4 charge balance of R231A-KCNQ1. Loss of single S4 charges at positions R231 or R237 produced constitutively active MinK-KCNQ1 channels and increased the constitutively active component of MiRP2-KCNQ1 currents. Charge addition to the CO2H-terminal half of S4 eliminated constitutive activation in MiRP2-KCNQ1 channels, whereas removal of homologous charges from KCNQ4 S4 produced constitutively active MiRP2-KCNQ4 channels. The results demonstrate that the unique S4 charge paucity of KCNQ1 facilitates its unique conversion to a leak channel by ancillary subunits such as MiRP2.
Whole urinary proteins coat calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals to greatly decrease their adhesion to renal cells.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Adhesion of urinary crystals to renal tubular cells could be a critical event that triggers a cascade of responses ending in kidney stone formation. We clarified the role of urinary macromolecules during calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystal adhesion to cells.Materials and Methods: To assess COM crystal binding to cells in the presence of whole urine and fractions thereof we used monolayer cultures of distal nephron derived Madin-Darby canine kidney, type I cells as a model system.Results: COM crystal adhesion to cells was decreased in the presence of whole urine compared with an ultrafiltrate prepared by passing urine through a 10 kDa cutoff membrane. Supplementing the ultrafiltrate with urinary concentrate containing proteins greater than 10 kDa returned crystal adhesion to low levels, similar to whole urine. Macromolecules in whole urine acted to decrease binding to cells by coating crystals and 4 proteins previously implicated in the pathogenesis of nephrolithiasis were detected o...