cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of manganese, copper and lead on Selenastrum capricornutum and Chlorella stigmatophora

Algal assays were conducted to observe the responses of Selenastrum capricornutum and Chlorella stigmatophora to the metals manganese, copper and lead, added singly or in combination to both artificial media and natural waters. A 50% reduction in the total algal cell volume of Selenastrum in standard algal assay medium (SAAM) occurred by the addition of either 3.1 mg manganese 1−1 85 μg copper 1−2, or 140 μg lead 1−1. For Chlorella grown in 28 ppt artificial seawater plus full SAAM nutrients, the corresponding numbers were 50mg manganese 1−1, 70 μg copper 1−1 or 700 μg lead 1−1. Of the metals tested, only lead was found in higher concentrations in urban and agricultural runoff than at least one of these levels. Theoretical considerations show that a product model is a more reasonable reference for no-interaction than an additive model for experiments in which toxic metals are added in combination. Combination experiments, in which any combination of the three metals act at the same time, indicate (1) synergism between manganese and copper, (2) antagonism between manganese and lead, and (3) antagonism between copper and lead. As to the manganese-lead interaction, it is shown that the lead-induced inhibition of cell division is offset, partially for Selenastrum and completely for Chlorella by the addition of manganese.
Prenatal ethanol exposure during the last third of gestation in rat reduces hippocampal NMDA agonist binding site density in 45-day-old offspring

Abstract The effect of ethanol exposure during different periods of prenatal or postnatal development on hippocampal N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor binding was studied in rat. Fetal rat pups were exposed to ethanol for different periods of time during gestation via maternal consumption of a 3.35% ethanol liquid diet. In a separate experiment, neonatal pups were fed 2.51 g ethanol/kg body weight/day from Postnatal Day (PD) 4 to PD 10 via intragastric feeding tube. These two ethanol administration paradigms produced average peak maternal and pup blood ethanol concentrations of 39 mg/dl and 57 mg/dl, respectively. At 45 days of age, offspring from each treatment group were sacrificed for measurements of hippocampal NMDA-sensitive [ 3 H]-glutamate binding site density using in vitro radiohistochemical techniques. As observed previously, prenatal ethanol exposure throughout gestation resulted in NMDA-sensitive [ 3 H]-glutamate binding site reductions in the apical dendritic field regions of dentate gyrus, hippocampal CA 1 and subiculum of dorsal hippocampal formation compared to the ad lib or pair-fed control groups. NMDA-sensitive [ 3 H]-glutamate binding was not different than control in rats exposed to ethanol during the first half of gestation only. Prenatal ethanol exposure during the last half or the last third of gestation resulted in NMDA-sensitive [ 3 H]-glutamate binding site reductions comparable to the binding site reductions observed in rats exposed to ethanol throughout gestation. Hippocampal NMDA-sensitive [ 3 H]-glutamate binding site density in postnatal ethanol-exposed rats was not different than the suckling or gastrostomy control groups. These results suggest that the critical period of vulnerability to ethanol-induced reductions in hippocampal NMDA receptor binding occurs during the last third of gestation in rat, which, in terms of human hippocampal development, is a period of time roughly equivalent to the fifth and six months of human gestation.
Mean-field approximation and a small parameter in turbulence theory.

Numerical and physical experiments on two-dimensional (2D) turbulence show that the differences of transverse components of velocity field are well described by Gaussian statistics and Kolmogorov scaling exponents. In this case the dissipation fluctuations are irrelevant in the limit of small viscosity. In general, one can assume the existence of a critical space dimensionality ${d=d}_{c},$ at which the energy flux and all odd-order moments of velocity difference change sign and the dissipation fluctuations become dynamically unimportant. At $dl{d}_{c}$ the flow can be described by the ``mean-field theory,'' leading to the observed Gaussian statistics and Kolmogorov scaling of transverse velocity differences. It is shown that in the vicinity of ${d=d}_{c}$ the ratio of the relaxation and translation characteristic times decreases to zero, thus giving rise to a small parameter of the theory. The expressions for pressure and dissipation contributions to the exact equation for the generating function of transverse velocity differences are derived in the vicinity of ${d=d}_{c}.$ The resulting equation describes experimental data on two-dimensional turbulence and demonstrates the onset of intermittency as $d\ensuremath{-}{d}_{c}g0$ and $r/\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{L}0$ in three-dimensional flows in close agreement with experimental data. In addition, some exact relations between correlation functions of velocity differences are derived. It is also predicted that the single-point probability density function of transverse velocity components in developing as well as in the large-scale stabilized two-dimensional turbulence is a Gaussian.
Multiple Mechanisms Modulate Distinct Cellular Susceptibilities toward Apoptosis in the Developing Drosophila Eye

Although apoptosis is mechanistically well understood, a comprehensive understanding of how cells modulate their susceptibility toward apoptosis in a developing tissue is lacking. Here, we reveal striking dynamics in the apoptotic susceptibilities of different cell types in the Drosophila retina over a period of only 24 hr. Mitotic cells are extremely susceptible to apoptotic signals, while postmitotic cells have developed several strategies to promote survival. For example, photoreceptor neurons accumulate the inhibitor of apoptosis, Diap1. In unspecified cells, Cullin-3-mediated degradation keeps Diap1 levels low. These cells depend on EGFR signaling for survival. As development proceeds, developmentally older photoreceptors degrade Diap1, resulting in increased apoptosis susceptibility. Finally, R8 photoreceptors have very efficient survival mechanisms independent of EGFR or Diap1. These examples illustrate how complex cellular susceptibility toward apoptosis is regulated in a developing organ. Similar complexities may regulate apoptosis susceptibilities in mammalian development, and tumor cells may take advantage of it.
Ecoinformatics can reveal yield gaps associated with crop-pest interactions: a proof-of-concept.

Farmers and private consultants execute a vast, decentralized data collection effort with each cropping cycle, as they gather pest density data to make real-time pest management decisions. Here we present a proof of concept for an ecoinformatics approach to pest management research, which attempts to harness these data to answer questions about pest-crop interactions. The impact of herbivory by Lygus hesperus on cotton is explored as a case study. Consultant-derived data satisfied a ‘positive control’ test for data quality by clearly resolving the expected negative relationship between L. hesperus density and retention of flower buds. The enhanced statistical power afforded by the large ecoinformatics dataset revealed an early-season window of crop sensitivity, during which L. hesperus densities as low as 1-2 per sample were associated with yield loss. In contrast, during the mid-season insecticide use by farmers was often unnecessary, as cotton compensated fully for moderate L. hesperus densities. Because the dataset emerged from the commercial production setting, it also revealed the limited degree to which farmers were willing to delay crop harvest to provide opportunities for compensatory fruiting. Observational approaches to pest management research have strengths and weaknesses that complement those of traditional, experimental approaches; combining these methods can contribute to enhanced agricultural productivity.
Peering strategy adoption by transit providers in the internet: a game theoretic approach?

The Internet is composed of tens of thousands of Autonomous Systems (ASes) which interconnect with one another through customer-provider (transit) and settlement-free peering links. Their interconnection objectives are a function of their business type e.g. transit providers, content providers, enterprise customers etc. In order to achieve these objectives the ASes adopt a set of criteria which are used to assess potential and existing settlement-free peering relationships. These relationships are bilateral in nature, i.e., for two ASes x and y to establish a peering relationship, they must satisfy each other’s peering criteria. The set of criteria used by an AS for assessing potential peering relationships is referred to as its peering policy. We commonly observe three peering policies publicized by ASes in PeeringDB [1], an open portal where ASes voluntarily share information about their peering policies, – Restrictive, Selective and Open. The peering strategy adoption by ASes of different categories taken from a recent snapshot of PeeringDB [1] showed that Open is the dominant peering strategy among all AS categories, with more than 60% of ASes in each category using Open peering. The fact that 64% of NSPs (transit providers) use open peering is especially surprising. Transit providers prefer other ASes as their customers rather than peers, and so the fact that many transit providers use open peering is rather surprising. Why do transit providers tend to peer openly? In our previous work [2] we use agent-based computational modeling to study peering strategy adoption by transit providers. Our computational model incorporates most of the real world constraints e.g. geographic colocation, skewed distribution of traffic, economies of scale, multiple transit prices per AS etc. We employed computational modeling as incorporating all these constraints in analytical model quickly renders the model intractable. An extended version of [2] is under progress and is available at [3]. In these works we find that peering decisions are interdependent and myopic decisions and lack of coordination among ASes results in Open peering as an attractor among peering strategies for transit providers. Interestingly, we observe that this adoption of Open peering results in loss of economic fitness for a majority of transit providers. Further, large scale adoption of Open peering results in stable equilibria. In this paper we use game theoretic analysis to gain further insight into peering strategy adoption by transit providers in the Internet. We employ a much simplified variant of our computational model to keep the analytical approach tractable. Analytical and numerical results from our current work corroborate our previous simulation based results. Our results show that when transit providers have complete information about co-located providers they can optimize their economic fitness by adopting Selective peering strategy [1]. Further, any uncertainty in the system causes the providers to gravitate towards Open peering, a suboptimal equilibrium.
Communicating culture through leadership: One view from Indian country 1

Generally speaking, both the practice and study of political leadership in the United States depend upon assumptions that are specific to the dominant culture. Yet the United States is, and always has been, an extraordinarily diverse nation. While scholars are taking the perspectives of previously marginalized communities increasingly into account, there is still much to be learned from the critiques and examples of those cultures. This paper seeks to contribute to our understanding of political leadership and its attendant communication by offering an analysis of the existing mainstream research and an explication of an opposing view, relying on Russell Means' speech, “For America to Live, Europe Must Die!” It is important to note that this is one perspective; it does not cover all alternatives to the mainstream, nor does it cover all possibilities of alternatives derived from indigenous sources. The essay concludes with a brief discussion of how we can profit by the inclusion of this view.
Interactive calculation of the unimolecular rate constant fall-off using the quantum RRK equation

Abstract A computer program is presented which allows interactive evaluation of molecular parameters for the RRK quantum calculation of the pressure fall off of the unimolecular rate constant. The program allows rapid evaluation of the effects of the Arrhenius A factor, activation energy, number of active vibrational modes, vibrational frequency, collision cross-section, buffer gas and reactant gas molecular weight, deactivation efficiency, and reaction temperature. The ratio of rate constant, k/k ∞ is evaluated at several pressures in the range of interest (typically 0.1 torr to 1 atm), and the results are output on a video terminal or printer in both tabular and graphical form for comparison with experiment. A complete calculation requires about 8 seconds per pressure point on a typical laboratory microcomputer.
Measuring permeability and stress relaxation of young cement paste by beam bending

When a saturated rod of a porous material is deflected in three-point bending, two types of time-dependent relaxation processes occur simultaneously: hydrodynamic relaxation, caused by the flow of liquid in the porous body, and viscoelastic (VE) relaxation of the solid network. By measuring the decrease in the force required to sustain a constant deflection, it is possible to obtain the permeability from the hydrodynamic relaxation function, in addition to the VE stress relaxation function of the sample. We report the early-age evolution of permeability, elastic modulus, and stress relaxation function for Type III Portland cement paste with water-cement (w/c) ratios of 0.45, 0.50, and 0.55. The stress relaxation function is shown to preserve its shape during aging; that function is numerically transformed into the creep function.
Synthesis and structural characterization of [Cu(SC6H4-o-SiMe3)]12, an unusual example of a ‘paddle-wheel’ dodecametallic thiolate cluster

Treatment of [Cu(MeCN)4]PF6 with the sterically-hindered thiolate ligand 2-(trimethylsilyl)benzenethiol, HSC6H4-o-SiMe3, affords red-orange crystals of [Cu(SC6H4-o-SiMe3)]12, a dodecametallic thiolate cluster with a ‘paddle-wheel’ C12S12 core.
Recent ENDOR and Pulsed Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Studies of Cytochrome c Peroxidase ‐ Compound I and Its Site‐Directed Mutants

EPR, ENDOR and pulsed EPR were applied to the radical signals of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase-compound I from this protein expressed in E. coli and two variants prepared after site-directed mutagenesis. The compound I complexes studied were first, that of the parent peroxidase expressed in E. coli, and next, those of the following amino acid mutants as specific probes for the radical in compound I: 1. Tryptophan-51 Phenylalanine; 2. Tryptophan-191 Phenylalanine. Tryptophan-51 lies near the heme on the distal (H2O2-binding) side of cytochrome c peroxidase, while Tryptophan-191 lies in contact with the proximal heme ligand, Histidine-175. EPR above 20 K and saturation recovery T1 measurements at liquid He temperatures showed the unusual temperature-dependent relaxation of compound I's axially symmetric signal (g__ = 2.035, g⟂ = 2.00), which has comprised the major radical species in bakers' yeast wildtype compound I and here in all but the Tryptophan-191 Phenylalanine mutant. The ENDOR of the major radical species was characterized by the substantial hyperfine couplings previously proposed to be at a sulfur-based radical. The mutation Tryptophan-51 Phenylalanine does not perturb these ENDOR features. Pulse field-sweep EPR resolved for the first time distinct proton hyperfine couplings due to the features observed by ENDOR. A narrow, more typical organic free radical signal at g = 2.001 with resolved hyperfine structure was the only species observed from the Tryptophan-191 Phenylalanine mutant and was a minor feature in all samples. The Tryptophan-191 Phenylalanine mutation does perturb or destabilize the majority radical species of compound I. Thus, Tryptophan-191 is either intimately involved with the kinetics of radical formation or participates intimately in the majority radical site, despite not being a sulfur-containing amino acid.
Coenzyme B12 model compounds: A quantitative electrochemical comparison

Abstract A quantitative electrochemical comparative study is reported which demonstrates that Costa's B 12 model is a closer electrochemical mimic of B 12 than is the widely used cobaloxime model. Also reported are conditions allowing chemically reversible cyclic voltammetry of cobalt-alkyls of Costa’s B 12 model and the surprising effect of axial base concentration upon the apparent cobaltcarbon bond stability subsequent to electrochemical reduction.
Epsilon Eridani's planetary debris disk: structure and dynamics based on Spitzer and Caltech submillimeter observatory observations

Spitzer and Caltech Submillimeter Observatory images and spectrophotometry of Eridani at wavelengths from 3.5 to 350 μm reveal new details of its bright debris disk. The 350 μm map confirms the presence of a ring at r = 11"-28"(35-90 AU), observed previously at longer sub-mm wavelengths. The Spitzer mid-IR and far-IR images do not show the ring, but rather a featureless disk extending from within a few arcsec of the star across the ring to r~ 34" (110 AU). The spectral energy distribution (SED) of the debris system implies a complex structure. A model constrained by the surface brightness profiles and the SED indicates that the sub-mm ring emission is primarily from large (a~ 135 μm) grains, with smaller (a~ 15 μm) grains also present in and beyond the ring. The Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph and Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer SED-mode spectrophotometry data clearly show the presence of spatially compact excess emission at λ ≳ 15 μm that requires the presence of two additional narrow belts of dust within the sub-mm ring's central void. The innermost belt at r~ 3 AU is composed of silicate dust. A simple dynamical model suggests that dust produced collisionally by a population of about 11 M_⊕ of planetesimals in the sub-mm ring could be the source of the emission from both in and beyond the sub-mm ring. Maintaining the inner belts and the inner edge to the sub-mm ring may require the presence of three planets in this system including the candidate radial velocity object.
Physical Insights on BJT-Based 1T DRAM Cells

The basic operation of BJT-based floating-body 1T DRAM cells on SOI is analyzed with supportive numerical device simulation. Extreme sensitivity of the charging process (write ldquo1rdquo) to the offset (Deltat WB) between the word-line and bit-line voltage pulses is revealed and explained. The necessity of a positive Deltat WB for successful write ldquo1rdquo is related to establishing a high gate capacitance, which is the predominant charge-storage element in the BJT-based cell. Such charging underlies why a fully depleted (FD) cell, e.g., a FinFET, can work for BJT-based DRAM, without an independent bias for accumulation charge that is necessary in conventional FD-MOSFET DRAM cells for charge storage and data sensing. Furthermore, a bulk-accumulation effect in the BJT-based DRAM cell is revealed and described. It undermines the BJT operation and leads to ineffective charging and significant loss of sense margin when the cell body thickness is scaled.
Psychological Consequences of Obesity: Weight Bias and Body Image in Overweight and Obese Youth

Over the past several decades, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children has increased considerably. While it has been widely documented that childhood obesity is related to a variety of negative health consequences, and numerous campaigns have focused on increasing physical activity and healthy food choices in children, less research has focused on the negative psychological consequences of childhood obesity, namely body image disturbance. This article examines research on body image disturbance in overweight/obese children, comorbidity of psychological disorders and childhood overweight/obesity, and factors that contribute to body image disturbance in overweight and obese youths. Additionally, the authors present research pertaining to treatment and prevention of body image disturbance in overweight/obese youths and discuss potential future directions for research, prevention and advocacy.
When your Second Life comes knocking

Conscientiousness and Emotional Stability were the strongest predictors of VW experiences.Emotional involvement was the single strongest predictor of changes to real life.Conscientiousness predicted low changes to real life.Agreeableness and Intellect predicted emotional involvement with the virtual world.Extraversion predicted similarity between users and avatars. A survey study (N=223) of participants in the social virtual world, Second Life, examined the relationship between Big Five personality factors, experiences in the virtual world and reports of changes to real life resulting from the virtual world experiences. Hypotheses about direct and indirect effects of personality on real life changes were tested with structural equation modeling. Results showed that the strength of users' relationship to the virtual environment, identification with and similarity to their avatars positively predicted reports of changes to real life, and that these three factors mediated effects of Agreeableness, Extraversion, Intellect, Conscientiousness, and Emotional Stability, on real life changes. Conscientiousness also had a direct negative relationship with real life changes. Implications are discussed for the potential of virtual social media features for activating facets of personality traits.
Percentage of Gleason pattern 4 and 5 predicts survival after radical prostatectomy

BACKGROUND. Morphologic and clinical heterogeneity within tumor grades is well recognized in prostate cancer. The objective of the current study was to determine whether the combined percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5 in radical prostatectomy specimens is an independent predictor of cancer-specific survival in prostate cancer patients. METHODS. The radical prostatectomy specimens were analyzed from 504 consecutive prostate cancer patients who were treated at Indiana University Medical Center between 1990 and 1998. Various clinical and pathologic characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS. A higher combined percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5 was associated with older age, higher preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen level, higher pathologic stage, positive surgical margins, extraprostatic extension of tumor, higher Gleason score, perineural invasion, and lymph node metastasis. In the multivariate Cox regression model, the combined percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5 was found to be an independent predictor of cancer-specific survival (P 5 .04). CONCLUSIONS. The combined percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5 is a powerful predictor of prostate cancer-specific survival. Assessment of high-grade cancer amounts may allow for better stratification of patients into appropriate prognostic groups and treatment protocols. Cancer 2007;110:1967–72. � 2007 American Cancer Society.
Challenges in forming successful mixed matrix membranes with rigid polymeric materials

Mixed matrix materials comprised of molecular sieve domains embedded in processable polymer matrices have the potential to provide membranes with higher permselectivity and equivalent productivity compared to existing membrane materials. It has been shown that successful mixed matrix materials can be formed using relatively low glass transition (Tg) polymers that have a favorable interaction with the sieves. This article extends this earlier work to include the use of more practical rigid matrix polymers with high Tgs that can ultimately be used in forming high-performance mixed matrix layers for composite membranes. Initial attempts to form mixed matrix materials based on high Tg polymers with a type 4A zeolite resulted in poor adhesion between the polymer and sieve. Correcting this problem was pursued in this study by forming the composite material close to the Tg of the polymer by addition of a plasticizer to match the matrix Tg with the solvent volatility. Forming the films at elevated temperatures presented substantial challenges, and this work discusses overcoming these challenges in detail. With some modifications in the film casting procedure, successful materials were achieved. Promising oxygen/nitrogen transport results are presented for these zeolite 4A–Matrimid®/plasticizer membranes, and this data compares favorably with predictions of the well-known Maxwell model for composite systems. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 881–890, 2002
Domains and naïve theories

Human cognition entails domain-specific cognitive processes that influence memory, attention, categorization, problem-solving, reasoning, and knowledge organization. This review examines domain-specific causal theories, which are of particular interest for permitting an examination of how knowledge structures change over time. We first describe the properties of commonsense theories, and how commonsense theories differ from scientific theories, illustrating with children’s classification of biological and non-biological kinds. We next consider the implications of domain-specificity for broader issues regarding cognitive development and conceptual change. We then examine the extent to which domain-specific theories interact, and how people reconcile competing causal frameworks. Future directions for research include examining how different content domains interact, the nature of theory change, the role of context (including culture, language, and social interaction) in inducing different frameworks, and the neural bases for domain-specific reasoning.
Principles of radiotherapy and radiobiology.

Objectives: To review the current state of knowledge of radiation physics and radiobiology, combined modality treatments, the use of radiosensitizers and radioprotectors, new developments in radiation therapy, radiation safety principles, and the implications of radiation in advanced nursing practices. Data Sources: Research and review articles, oncology nursing textbooks, and physics and medical oncology textbooks. Conclusions: Radiation therapy is an important entity in the treatment of cancer, used alone or in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy. Research continues to grow in the use of radiation therapy to control cancer, spare surrounding normal tissue, and reduce acute long-term toxicity. Implications for Nursing Practice: An understanding of radiobiology and physics will assist oncology nurses in providing proper education to the patient and managing radiation-induced side effects.
Semantic generalization as related to word association.

Any systematic investigation of human learning must contend with the phenomenon of generalization. The fact chat responses tend to occur in sicuations which are noc identical to the situations in which they are learned presents the problem of funcciona1 stimulus equivalence. Hull (3), in his treatment of che problem, offers the principles of partial identity, primary generalization and secondary generalizacion to account for stimulus equivalence. Secondary generalization is considered to be mediated generalization and the studies of Shipley (16) and Lumsdaine (6) are cited to indicate the way in which implicit responses may provide a mediating link. While two different designs were used, the one most frequently cited as the Shipley-Lumsdaine paradigm can be presented schematically as follows: 1st Stage AB 2nd Stajie nC Test Stage AB-C
Advanced traveler information system with communication constraints

The Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS), which provide real-time information about public transit to the commuters have gained tremendous popularity in last few years. The accuracy of such a system depends on the location information of the bus at the base station. Consequently bus uses a fixed transmission policy of communicating periodically to base station. This periodic communication is generally expensive, and it is in fact one of the main factors that prevents aggressive deployment of such systems. In this paper we first propose new architecture and develop new framework to study the ATIS in a communication constrained environment and then propose three different techniques for implementation of the system that tries to minimize loss in accuracy in this constrained environment. Simulation examples are provided in the end to support the proposed theory.
CONCORDANCE OF MOLECULAR AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL DATA IN THE STUDY OF ZOOSPORIC CHLOROCOCCALEAN GREEN ALGAE1

Alternative evolutionary hypotheses generated from features of vegetative cell morphology and motile cell ultra-structure were investigated using a molecular data set. Complete nuclear-encoded small subunit (18S) ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequences were determined for six species (three each) of the chlorococcalean green algae “Neo chloris” and Characium. Based on motile cell ultra-structure, it was previously shown that both genera could be separated into three distinct groups possibly representing three separate orders and two classes of green algae. 18S rRNA gene sequences were also obtained for three additional taxa, Dunaliella parva Lerche, Pediastrum duplex Meyen, and Friedmannia israelensis Chantanachat and Bold. These organisms were selected because each, in turn, is a representative of one of the three ultrastructural groups into which the Neochloris and Characium species are separable. Phylogenetic analyses utilizing the molecular data fully support the ultrastructural findings, suggesting that the similar vegetative cell morphologies observed in these organisms have resulted from convergence.
Role of radiation therapy for non-extremity soft tissue sarcomas

Background Negative surgical margins are uncommon for non-extremity soft tissue sarcomas. Radiation therapy is usually recommended to improve local control; however, appropriate RT dosing is challenging due to nearby dose-limiting normal structures. Material and Methods Comprehensive literature search using PubMed (March 2014). Results Data suggest radiation therapy is an important modality in maximizing local tumor control in non-extremity sarcomas. Conclusion The literature supports the use of RT to improve local control for non-extremity soft tissue sarcomas. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:604–614. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Variation in Numbers of Bacteria on Paired Chicken Carcass Halves

Bacterial counts from paired broiler carcass halves were examined for relationships between numbers and kinds of bacteria that might indicate fecal contamination. Broiler carcasses removed from a commercial processing plant just before chilling were split aseptically along the midline, and each side was rinsed in 400 mL of phosphate buffered saline for 1 min with either mechanical or hand shaking. Both halves of six carcasses were rinsed on four different days for a total of 24 carcasses sampled with each shaking method. Aerobic bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Campylobacter jejuni were enumerated and summed to obtain whole carcass counts. There were no significant (P < 0.05) differences in numbers of bacteria recovered by the two rinse methods. In left-right comparisons, only E. coli was significantly different (P = 0.04), with the right side having higher counts (least-square means of 1.09 vs. 0.97). For aerobic plate count (APC), coliforms, E. coli, and Campylobacter, correlations between paired left and right side counts were between 0.78 and 0.86. The correlation between whole carcass counts and absolute left-right differences was significant for APC (0.43), but was not significant for coliforms, E. coli, and Campylobacter, so higher whole carcass counts were not associated with higher counts on one side of the carcass. Correlations between different bacteria on whole carcasses were significant for E. coli-APC (0.39), E. coli-coliforms (0.67), and APC-coliforms (0.71), but other combinations had non-significant correlations. The correlation was not significant between E. coli and Campylobacter, a relatively fragile organism whose presence can be interpreted to indicate fairly recent fecal contamination. There were no indications that high E. coli counts on inspection-passed, prechill carcasses indicated recent fecal contamination.
Influence of forest management alternatives and land type on susceptibility to fire in northern Wisconsin, USA

We used the LANDIS disturbance and succession model to study the effects of six alternative vegetation management scenarios on forest succession and the subsequent risk of canopy fire on a 2791 km2 landscape in northern Wisconsin, USA. The study area is a mix of fire-prone and fire-resistant land types. The alternatives vary the spatial distribution of vegetation management activities to meet objectives primarily related to forest composition and recreation. The model simulates the spatial dynamics of differential reproduction, dispersal, and succession patterns using the vital attributes of species as they are influenced by the abiotic environment and disturbance. We simulated 50 replicates of each management alternative and recorded the presence of species age cohorts capable of sustaining canopy fire and the occurrence of fire over 250 years. We combined these maps of fuel and fire to map the probability of canopy fires across replicates for each alternative. Canopy fire probability varied considerably by land type. There was also a subtle, but significant effect of management alternative, and there was a significant interaction between land type and management alternative. The species associated with high-risk fuels (conifers) tend to be favored by management alternatives with more disturbances, whereas low disturbance levels favor low-risk northern hardwood systems dominated by sugar maple. The effect of management alternative on fire risk to individual human communities was not consistent across the landscape. Our results highlight the value of the LANDIS model for identifying specific locations where interacting factors of land type and management strategy increase fire risk.
Validation and refinement of allometric equations for roots of northern hardwoods

The allometric equations developed by Whittaker et al. (1974. Ecol. Monogr. 44: 233–252) at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest have been used to estimate biomass and productivity in northern hardwood forest systems for over three decades. Few other species-specific allometric estimates of belowground biomass are available because of the difficulty in collecting the data, and such equations are rarely validated. Using previously unpublished data from Whittaker’s sampling effort, we extended the equations to predict the root crown and lateral root components for the three dominant species of the northern hardwood forest: American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt), and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.). We also refined the allometric models by eliminating the use of very small trees for which the original data were unreliable. We validated these new models of the relationship of tree diameter to the mass of root crowns and lateral roots using root mass data coll...
Intermediate-term results of the Ross procedure in neonates and infants.

Background Although good intermediate-term results for the Ross procedure in adults and older children have been reported, only short-term outcomes of this procedure in neonates and infants have been published. The objective of this study was to review our intermediate-term results of the Ross procedure for neonates and infants. Methods The records of all 31 neonates and infants undergoing a Ross procedure between March 1993 and June 2008 were reviewed. Major study outcomes included patient survival, autograft function, and need for reoperation. Results The median age at the time of operation was 18 days, and median weight was 3.95 kg. Fifteen patients had aortic stenosis with or without insufficiency, 2 patients had isolated severe aortic insufficiency, and 14 patients had aortic stenosis with other left-side heart lesions, such as arch obstruction or mitral valve disease. Twenty-five patients required aortic annular enlargement (Ross-Konno procedure), and 14 required concomitant arch or mitral valve surgery. There were 5 early and 2 late deaths at a median follow-up of 6.0 years (range, 1.1 to 15.4 years). All early deaths were in patients requiring concomitant arch or mitral valve repair. Actuarial survival rate was 76.7% at 5, 10, and 15 years. There were 19 reinterventions, including 2 procedures on the autograft. Overall freedom from reoperation was 59.1% at 5 years and 50.6% at 10 years. Freedom from autograft reoperation was 95.2% at 5 and 10 years and 63.5% at 15 years. Conclusions The Ross procedure for neonates and infants has good intermediate-term results with low mortality and acceptable rates of reintervention. The patients requiring concomitant arch or mitral valve surgery have higher initial operative risks although conditional survival remains good.
A distributed and adaptive signal processing approach to reducing energy consumption in sensor networks

We propose a novel approach to reducing energy consumption in sensor networks using a distributed adaptive signal processing framework and efficient algorithm. While the topic of energy-aware routing to alleviate energy consumption in sensor networks has received attention recently (C. Toh, 2001; R. Shah et al., 2002), in this paper, we propose an orthogonal approach to previous methods. Specifically, we propose a distributed way of continuously exploiting existing correlations in sensor data based on adaptive signal processing and distributed source coding principles. Our approach enables sensor nodes to blindly compress their readings with respect to one another without the need for explicit and energy-expensive intersensor communication to effect this compression. Furthermore, the distributed algorithm used by each sensor node is extremely low in complexity and easy to implement (i.e., one modulo operation), while an adaptive filtering framework is used at the data gathering unit to continuously learn the relevant correlation structures in the sensor data. Our simulations show the power of our proposed algorithms, revealing their potential to effect significant energy savings (from 10%-65%) for typical sensor data corresponding to a multitude of sensor modalities.
Mastogloia smithii var lacustris Grun.: A Structural Engineer of Calcareous Mats in Karstic Subtropical Wetlands

ABSTRACT. Mastogloia smithii var. lacustris Grun. is the dominant diatom in periphyton mats of the calcareous, freshwater to brackish wetlands of Caribbean coasts. Despite oligotrophy, frequent desiccation, high irradiance and temperatures, and occasional fire, periphyton communities in these wetlands can produce over 2000 g m-2 of organic biomass, prompting studies that examine stress resistance and maintenance of algal mats under extreme conditions. The diatom flora inhabiting periphyton mats from over 500 sites in the Florida Everglades and similar wetlands in Belize, Jamaica and Mexico was examined, and M. smithii var. lacustris was a persistent component, present in 97% of samples and comprising up to 80% of a diverse diatom assemblage. Valves at various stages of division were observed encased in extracellular polysaccharide that exceeded the cell volume; SEM observations confirm issuance from mantle pores resulting in suspension of the cell in a matrix dominated by cyanobacterial filaments. Using c...
The geography of despair: Environmental racism the the making of South Phoenix, Arizona, USA

This paper discusses the historical geographical construction of a contaminated community in the heart of one of the largest and fastest growing Sunbelt cities in the US. Our focus is on how racial categories and attendant social relations were constructed by Whites, in late 19th and early 20th century Phoenix, Arizona, to produce a stigmatized zone of racial exclusion and economic marginality in South Phoenix, a district adjacent to the central city. We consider how representations of race were historically deployed to segregate people of color, both residentially and economically in the early city. By the 1920s race and place were discursively and materially woven together in a mutually reinforcing process of social stigmatization and environmental degradation in South Phoenix. This process constructed a durable zone of mixed minority residential and industrial land uses that survives into the present day. ‘Sunbelt apartheid’ has worked to segregate undesirable land uses and minorities from ‘Anglo’ Phoenix. Class and racial privilege has been built in a wide range of planning and investment decisions that continue to shape the human ecology of the city today.
Problems of High Seas Governance

The high seas cover more than 50% of the planet’s surface. The last thirty years have seen unparalleled expansion of human activities and impacts on the oceans and on the high seas in particular. At the same time there is evidence of the impacts of the increased intensity of existing human activities; increases in maritime transportation, marine pollution, particularly from land based sources, such as garbage, as well as traditional fishing techniques. These issues, which affect waters both inside and outside national jurisdiction, pose governance issues. This chapter seeks to set out the key risks that high seas areas face, the plethora of bodies with regional and sectoral jurisdiction but also the lacunae – the regulatory and governance gaps that exist.
REVIEW - Devji, Faisal. Muslim Zion: Pakistan as a Political Idea. 288 pp. Cambridge, ma: Harvard University Press, 2013.

REVIEW - Devji, Faisal. Muslim Zion: Pakistan as a Political Idea. 288 pp. Cambridge, ma: Harvard University Press, 2013.
High Knudsen Number Physical Vapor Deporition: Predicting Deposition Rates and Uniformity

Although the analogy between thermal radiation and collisionless molecular flow has been known since the experiments of Knudsen in the early 20th century, it has not been exploited for mainstream analysis of physical vapor deposition processes. With the availability of commercial finite element and computational fluid dynamics software having built-in cavity radiation solvers with features such as automatic surface definition, meshing and view factor calculation, the analysis of thermal radiation problems has become a straightforward procedure. A direct result of this is the ease with which high vacuum deposition processes can be analyzed via the radiation-molecular flow analogy. There are several advantages of using the analogy as opposed to analytical and Monte-Carlo methods which have been traditionally employed for analyzing PVD processes. These include the ease of handling complex geometries and reduced computing times due to the replacement of the probabilistic calculations in Monte Carlo simulations with a deterministic one. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of a commercial finite element software, ABAQUS, for predicting deposition profiles from planar as well as tube sources and compare them with those presented in thin-film literature. We also compare the prediction of flow rates through long tubes with those calculated analytically by Knudsen. The predictions are in good agreement with the analytical and experimental data thus establishing the validity of the method in analyzing real-life deposition and molecular flow problems. Finally, we employ ABAQUS for predicting the thickness variation in an actual thin-film deposition setup and compare the results with experimental measurements.© 2005 ASME
789 ABNORMAL METABOLISM OF β mRNA IN β+-THALASSEMIA (β-THAL)

We have studied mechanisms causing reduced g mRNA accumulation in β-thal. One patient was studied by recombinant DNA cloning, nucleotide sequencing and in vitro functional analysis of the β-thal gene, and five others, by analysis of newly synthesized mRNA after pulse-chase labeling of erythroblasts with 3H-uridine. The cloned β-thal gene exhibited normal transcription in a cell-free system. The only nucleotide sequence abnormality occurs within the small intervening sequence (intron) and creates a potential anomalous splicing site in the mRNA precursor, suggesting a structural basis for defective processing. In four additional patients, defective β mRNA processing was also observed. The initial β/α 3H mRNA ratios of pulse-labeled RNA were normal, indicating normal transcription, but abnormally high accumulation of unprocessed β mRNA precursur sequences (introns) occurred in each case. A fifth patient exhibited normal 3H β mRNA synthesis and processing in nuclear RNA, but β mRNA in cytoplasm declined to steady-state levels during a 20-hour “chase,” indicating cytoplasmic instability. These studies identify at least two distinct post-transcriptional lesions in β mRNA metabolism in β-thal: inefficient processing of introns and cytoplasmic instability of mature β mRNA.
Histocompatibility typing in the rheumatic diseases: Diagnostic and prognostic implications

Associations of HLA antigens with many of the rheumatic diseases have been established over the last two decades. Although these discoveries provide potential new insights into disease pathogenesis, the clinical utility of HLA typing has been limited. The major exception is that of HLA-B27 in the spondyloarthropathies, where clinical uses of HLA-B27 testing has permitted identification of a large spectrum of disease that was previously misdiagnosed and misclassified. HLA-B27 remains potentially useful in the diagnosis of atypical spondyloarthropathies because of its high frequency in patients with these diseases (yielding good sensitivity) and its relatively low frequencies in most normal populations (yielding good specificity). Its predictive value in individual cases, however, depends on the quality of the physician's assessment of the likelihood of a spondyloarthropathy. In patients with juvenile-onset arthritis, typing for HLA-B27, as well as several HLA-class II alleles (DR5, DR8, DP2, and DP3), may prove to be useful in diagnosis and classification; however, additional studies are necessary. HLA oligotyping of DNA in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis to determine homozygosity versus heterozygosity for the DRB1 susceptibility sequence promises a potential new parameter for predicting clinical disease severity, and thus the possible early initiation of more aggressive therapies. Additional studies are necessary, however, to determine the validity of this approach. Finally, the future diagnosis, prevention, and treatments of these diseases may depend on the identification and manipulation of specific immune responses mediated by HLA molecules, thus making HLA typing for clinical purposes routine.