cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paralytic shellfish toxins in the sea scallop Placopecten magellanicus on Georges Bank: Implications for an offshore roe-on and whole scallop fishery

Abstract To protect public health from the potential risk of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in sea scallops, Placopecten magellanicus, from the Atlantic offshore U.S. waters of Georges Bank, harvesting of roe-on or whole scallops is banned. Only adductor muscles may be sold if harvested from Georges Bank, Gulf of Maine, or the PSP closure areas as far west as 71° West Longitude. Given the limited toxicity data available for sea scallops from this region both prior to and subsequent to implementation of this management strategy, this study sought a more extensive spatial and temporal evaluation of sea scallop gonad and viscera toxicities that would inform management decisions related to the roe-on and whole scallop fishery. Both overall toxicity and toxin composition were measured for sea scallop gonads and viscera collected from 232 stations in 2007 and 23 in 2010. Overall toxicity was assessed using two screening methods: field-deployable Jellett Rapid Tests (JRT) and quantitative, laboratory-based receptor binding assays (in 2007). Additionally, a quantitative liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (LC-FD) method was used to determine toxin composition and overall toxicity (in 2010). The at-sea qualitative JRT screening tool results, whereby a positive indicated the sample contained at least 40 μg saxitoxin (STX) equivalents 100 g−1, were often inconsistent with results obtained using the quantitative methods. Sea scallop viscera toxicity represented the majority of toxin load in the organism and was often in excess of the regulatory guidance level. Sea scallop gonads accounted for a small percentage of total toxicity, but at times reached unsafe levels. Toxin composition in both the gonads and viscera was dominated by STX and gonyautoxin 2/3, as has been reported in previous studies. No predictive indices of gonad toxicity were found. Results at this time do not support a roe-on or whole scallop fishery on Georges Bank. While access restrictions to whole scallops on Georges Bank are unlikely to change based on these results, it seems plausible that a management strategy requiring at-sea testing of scallop gonads for PSP may be necessary in order for a safe roe-on scallop fishery from this region to be feasible.
A Detailed Linkage Map of Rainbow Trout Produced Using Doubled Haploids

We report the first detailed genetic linkage map of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The segregation analysis was performed using 76 doubled haploid rainbow trout produced by androgenesis from a hybrid between the "OSU" and "Arlee" androgenetically derived homozygous lines. Four hundred and seventy-six markers segregated into 31 major linkage groups and 11 small groups (< 5 markers/group). The minimum genome size is estimated to be 2627.5 cM in length. The sex-determining locus segregated to a distal position on one of the linkage groups. We analyzed the chromosomal distribution of three classes of markers: (1) amplified fragment length polymorphisms, (2) variable number of tandem repeats, and (3) markers obtained using probes homologous to the 5' or 3' end of salmonid-specific small interspersed nuclear elements. Many of the first class of markers were clustered in regions that appear to correspond to centromeres. The second class of markers were more telomeric in distribution, and the third class were intermediate. Tetrasomic inheritance, apparently related to the tetraploid ancestry of salmonid fishes, was detected at one simple sequence repeat locus and suggested by the presence of one extremely large linkage group that appeared to consist of two smaller groups linked at their tips. The double haploid rainbow trout lines and linkage map present a foundation for further genomic studies.
Qualcomm in China (A)

Case (B) covers Qualcomm's efforts from the mid 1990s to the present in getting CDMA adopted in the rapidly growing Chinese market. The case was originally designed to highlight the issues of political risk and transparency given the role of the Chinese government in decisions by state-owned enterprises and the highly volatile context of U.S.-China political relations. But the case also presents traditional problems of market entry and the ambiguities inherent during ongoing efforts for telecommunications reform.
mdb: a semantic race detection tool for PVM

Nondeterminism, intended or otherwise, makes debugging message passing parallel programs a difficult task. In this paper, we present an on-the-fly debugging tool, mdb (Message-passing DeBugger), for debugging programs written for the PVM (Parallel Virtual Machine), that is effective in detecting the presence of races. mdb uses a new class of expressions, called semantic expressions, to specify races. These expressions capture the program semantics related to a receive operation and are used to detect unwanted races at run-time. mdb also has the ability to invoke sequential debuggers, making it useful in detecting errors unrelated to races as well. Replay debugging support by mdb provides for deterministic replay of erroneous executions. The current implementation of mdb works for C as well as for Fortran programs. >
Roflumilast partially reverses smoke-induced mucociliary dysfunction

Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) break down cAMP, thereby regulating intracellular cAMP concentrations and diffusion. Since PDE4 predominates in airway epithelial cells, PDE4 inhibitors can stimulate Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) by increasing cAMP. Tobacco smoking and COPD are associated with decreased CFTR function and impaired mucociliary clearance (MCC). However, the effects of the PDE4 inhibitor roflumilast on smoke-induced mucociliary dysfunction have not been fully explored. Primary normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE) from non-smokers, cultured at the air-liquid interface (ALI) were used for most experiments. Cultures were exposed to cigarette smoke in a Vitrocell VC-10 smoking robot. To evaluate the effect of roflumilast on intracellular cAMP concentrations, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between CFP- and YFP-tagged protein kinase A (PKA) subunits was recorded. Airway surface liquid (ASL) was measured using light refraction scanning and ciliary beat frequency (CBF) employing infrared differential interference contrast microscopy. Chloride conductance was measured in Ussing chambers and CFTR expression was quantified with qPCR. While treatment with 100 nM roflumilast had little effect alone, it increased intracellular cAMP upon stimulation with forskolin and albuterol in cultures exposed to cigarette smoke and in control conditions. cAMP baselines were lower in smoke-exposed cells. Roflumilast prolonged cAMP increases in smoke-exposed and control cultures. Smoke-induced reduction in functional, albuterol-mediated chloride conductance through CFTR was improved by roflumilast. ASL volumes also increased in smoke-exposed cultures in the presence of roflumilast while it did not in its absence. Cigarette smoke exposure decreased CBF, an effect rescued with roflumilast, particularly when used together with the long-acting s-mimetic formoterol. Roflumilast also enhanced forskolin-induced CBF stimulation in ASL volume supplemented smoked and control cells, confirming the direct stimulatory effect of rising cAMP on ciliary function. In active smokers, CFTR mRNA expression was increased compared to non-smokers and ex-smokers. Roflumilast also increased CFTR mRNA levels in cigarette-smoke exposed cell cultures. Our results show that roflumilast can rescue smoke-induced mucociliary dysfunction by reversing decreased CFTR activity, augmenting ASL volume, and stimulating CBF, the latter particularly in combination with formoterol. As expected, CFTR mRNA expression was not indicative of apical CFTR function.
Power performance and scalability of AlGaN/GaN power MODFETs

The scalability of power performance of AlGaN/GaN MODFETs with large gate periphery, as necessary for microwave power devices, is addressed in this paper. High-frequency large-signal characteristics of AlGaN/GaN MODFETs measured at 8 GHz are reported for devices with gatewidths from 200 /spl mu/m to 1 mm. 1-dB gain compression occurred at input power levels varying from -1 to +10 dBm as the gatewidth increased, while gain remained almost constant at -17 dB. Output power density was /spl sim/1 W/mm for all devices and maximum output power (29.9 dBm) occurred in devices with 1-mm gates, while power-added efficiency remained almost constant at /spl sim/30%. The large-signal characteristics were compared with those obtained by dc and small-signal S-parameters measurements. The results illustrate a notable scalability of AlGaN/GaN MODFET power characteristics and demonstrate their excellent potential for power applications.
Sp100 Provides Intrinsic Immunity against Human Papillomavirus Infection

ABSTRACT Most DNA viruses associate with, and reorganize, nuclear domain 10 (ND10) bodies upon entry into the host nucleus. In this study, we examine the roles of the ND10 components PML, Sp100, and Daxx in the establishment of human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV18) infection of primary human keratinocytes. HPV18 DNA or HPV18 quasivirus was introduced into primary human keratinocytes depleted of each ND10 protein by small interfering RNA technology, and genome establishment was determined by using a quantitative immortalization assay and measurements of viral transcription and DNA replication. Keratinocyte depletion of Sp100 resulted in a substantial increase in the number of HPV18-immortalized colonies and a corresponding increase in viral transcription and DNA replication. However, Sp100 repressed viral transcription and replication only during the initial stages of viral establishment, suggesting that Sp100 acts as a repressor of incoming HPV DNA. IMPORTANCE The intrinsic immune system provides a first-line defense against invading pathogens. Host cells contain nuclear bodies (ND10) that are important for antiviral defense, yet many DNA viruses localize here upon cell entry. However, viruses also disrupt, reorganize, and modify individual components of the bodies. In this study, we show that one of the ND10 components, Sp100, limits the infection of human skin cells by human papillomavirus (HPV). HPVs are important pathogens that cause many types of infection of the cutaneous and mucosal epithelium and are the causative agents of several human cancers. Understanding how host cells counteract HPV infection could provide insight into antimicrobial therapies that could limit initial infection.
Diagnostic and Prognostic Utility of Brain Natriuretic Peptide in Subjects Admitted to the ICU With Hypoxic Respiratory Failure Due to Noncardiogenic and Cardiogenic Pulmonary Edema

Background Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is useful in diagnosing congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients presenting in the emergency department with acute dyspnea. We prospectively tested the utility of BNP for discriminating ARDS vs cardiogenic pulmonary edema (CPE). Methods We enrolled ICU patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and bilateral pulmonary infiltrates who were undergoing right-heart catheterization (RHC) to aid in diagnosis. Patients with acute coronary syndrome, end-stage renal disease, recent coronary artery bypass graft surgery, or preexisting left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 30% were excluded. BNP was measured at RHC. Two intensivists independently reviewed the records to determine the final diagnosis. Results Eighty patients were enrolled. Median BNP was 325 pg/mL (interquartile range [IQR], 82 to 767 pg/mL) in acute lung injury/ARDS patients, vs 1,260 pg/mL (IQR, 541 to 2,020 pg/mL) in CPE patients (p = 0.0001). The correlation between BNP and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure was modest ( r = 0.27, p = 0.02). BNP offered good discriminatory performance for the final diagnosis (C-statistic, 0.80). At a cut point ≤ 200 pg/mL, BNP provided specificity of 91% for ARDS. At a cut point ≥ 1,200 pg/mL, BNP had a specificity of 92% for CPE. Higher levels of BNP were associated with a decreased odds for ARDS (odds ratio, 0.4 per log increase; p = 0.007) after adjustment for age, history of CHF, and right atrial pressure. BNP was associated with in-hospital mortality (p = 0.03) irrespective of the final diagnosis and independent of APACHE (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation) II score. Conclusion In ICU patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure, BNP appears useful in excluding CPE and identifying patients with a high probability of ARDS, and was associated with mortality in patients with both ARDS and CPE. Larger studies are necessary to validate these findings.
A new learning fuzzy controller based on the P -integrator concept

Abstract In many control applications a task is performed repeatedly. This paper describes a fuzzy controller that improves its performance from its past experience in carrying out a repetitive task. The fuzzy controller is used to implement a linguistically expressed heuristic learning control algorithm in a direct way. The learning control algorithm is inspired by the P -integrator repetitive controller. The performance of the algorithm is confirmed by experimental studies using a nonlinear servosystem.
Miniature Antenna Using Printed Coupled Lines Emulating Degenerate Band Edge Crystals

A miniature printed antenna design that exploits higher-order dispersion behavior in degenerate band edge (DBE) crystals is proposed. First, the unit cell of a DBE crystal is emulated using a simple combination of uncoupled and coupled microstrip (MS) line sections printed on a low loss dielectric substrate. Subsequently, a resonant antenna is formed by cascading two such MS-DBE unit cells in a circularly periodic fashion. The first part of the paper is devoted to the antenna/array design and characterization using a low contrast dielectric substrate (Rogers Duroid, isinr = 2.2). Next, fabrication and design verification using a high dielectric constant substrate (alumina: Al2O3, isinr = 9.6) is given. The manufactured antenna was measured to have a broadside gain of 4.5 dB at 1.48 GHz with 3.0% bandwidth. For this gain and bandwidth, we demonstrate that the proposed MS-DBE antenna has a lambda0/9 times lambda0/9 footprint and is among the smallest in the literature.
Opportunities for Membrane Technologies in the Treatment of Mining and Mineral Process Streams and Effluents

Abstract The membrane separation technologies of microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis are suitable for treating many dilute streams and effluents generated in mining and mineral processing. Membrane technologies are capable of treating these dilute streams in order to produce clean permeate water for recycle and a concentrate that can potentially be used for valuable metals recovery. Membrane technologies can be utilized alone, or in combination with other techniques as a polishing step, in these separation processes. A review of potential applications of membranes for the treatment of different process streams and effluents for water recycling and pollution control is given here. Although membranes may not be optimum in all applications, these technologies are recognized in the mining sector for the many potential advantages they can provide. ∗NRCC No. 35777.
A Multi-Agent Based Power Sharing Scheme for Hybrid Power Sources

The hybridization technique provides an effective approach to combining the best properties of a heterogeneous set of power sources to achieve higher energy density, power density and fuel efficiency. Hybrid power sources can be used to power hybrid electric vehicles using selected combinations of internal combustion engines, fuel cells, batteries, and/or supercapacitors. They can be deployed in all-electric ships to build a distributed shipboard electric power system. They can also be used in a bulk power system to construct an autonomous distributed energy unit. An important aspect of designing a hybrid power source is to find a suitable control strategy that can take advantage of the inherent scalability and robustness benefits of the hybrid system. This paper presents a multi-agent based power sharing scheme for hybrid power sources. In the paper, the main features of agent technology are discussed. The agent-based control framework for power sharing in the hybrid power source is then presented. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed multi-agent based power sharing scheme, simulation studies are performed for a hybrid power source that can be used in a solar car as the main propulsion power module. Simulation results clearly indicate that the agent-based control framework is effective to coordinate the various energy sources and manage the power/voltage profiles.
The impact of alcohol in pedestrian trauma

Across the globe, alcohol plays a major role in traffic-related injuries. It impairs the motor and cognitive coordination of drivers leading to motor vehicle collisions, which severely or fatally injure individuals across cultures and socioeconomic spectra. Although most public health initiatives have focused on driver intoxication, there is a high prevalence of alcohol use among pedestrians who are struck by motor vehicles, especially in collisions involving pedestrian fatalities. Alcohol use by pedestrians impairs judgment and coordination leading to risky street-crossing behaviors. Intoxication influences medical management by disrupting the reliability of the physical examination often necessitating expensive imaging modalities to rule out injuries. Alcohol abuse continues to impede traffic safety injury prevention efforts. This article reviews alcohol's notorious role in traffic safety and pedestrian trauma. Language: en
Fabrication of Piezoelectric Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) Microstructures by Soft Lithography for Tissue Engineering and Cell Biology Applications

A method for the fabrication of piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) microstructures is described. Embossed and individual features with highly defined geometries at the microscale were obtained using soft lithography-based techniques. Various structure geometries were obtained, including pillars (three different aspect ratios), parallel lines, and criss-crossed lines. SEM characterization revealed uniform patterns with dimensions ranging from 2 μm n 15 μm. Human osteosarcoma (HOS) cell cultures were used to evaluate the cytocompatibility of the microstructures. SEM and fluorescence microscopy showed adequate cell adhesion, proliferation, and strong interaction with tips and corners of the microdiscontinuities. Microfabricated piezoelectric PVDF structures could find applications in the fabrication of mechanically active tissue engineering scaffolds, and the development of dynamic sensors at the cellular and subcellular levels.
Spatial and temporal influences on the physiological condition of invasive silver carp.

We quantified nutritional and stress parameters (alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, protein, triglycerides, cortisol, and glu cose) in invasive silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) inhabiting four large rivers throughout three distinct time periods in the Midwestern USA. Examining the basic biology and ecology of an invasive species is crucial to gain an understanding of the interaction between an organism and its environment. Analysis of the physiological condition of wild-caught silver carp across broad spatial and temporal scales is essential because stress and nutritional parameters can link individuals to their habitats and vary among populations across environments. During each time period, we collected blood samples from individual silver carp in the Illinois River and portions of the Mississippi, Ohio, and Wabash rivers in Illinois. We tested for relationships between silver carp nutrition and stress across rivers, reaches within rivers, and time periods. Principal component analyses separated physiological parameters into a stress component (cortisol and glucose) and two nutritional components representative of short-term feeding (alkaline phosphatase, protein, and triglycerides) and body energy reserves (cholesterol and protein). Akaike’s information criterion suggested that time period had the greatest influence on stress. Stress levels were consistent in all four rivers, and declined across time periods. Akaike’s information criterion also suggested that interactions of time period and river had the greatest influence on short-term feeding and body energy reserves. There was no specific pattern across time periods within each river, nor was there a pattern across rivers. Our results provide a better understanding of nutritional and stress conditions in invasive silver carp across a broad landscape and temporal scale, with implications for managing and predicting the spread of this species.
Genetic diversity among the T‐protein genes of group A streptococci

T protein is a trypsin- and pepsin-resistant molecule on the surface of group A streptococci used as a serological tool to differentiate streptococci of this group. The purpose of this study was to determine the relatedness among the T protein genes of the 25 known T serotypes. DNA probes were constructed which represented various regions of the structural gene for the T6 protein, tee6. The probes were assayed for their ability to hybridize HindIII digests of chromosomal DNA from the 25 different T serotypes. Probe pTEE6.3, coding for the entire T6 protein, and pTEE6(1-299), coding for the amino-terminal half of T6, displayed the highest amount of homology, each binding to 10 of 25 T serotypes. Probes coding for sequences in the carboxy-terminal half of T6 showed considerably less homology among T serotypes with one probe hybridizing with only three out of 25. A synthetic oligonucleotide coding for the carboxy-terminal hydrophobic domain of T6, an area conserved to some degree among several bacterial surface proteins, showed homology with only seven out of 25 T serotypes. Hybridization with sequences outside the tee6 coding area provided additional information on the relatedness of certain sets of T serotypes according to restriction-fragment size heterogeneity. Clearly, there is considerable diversity among T-serotype genes. The data suggest that two or more families of structurally variant T proteins exist, which share only the property of proteolytic resistance and/or, perhaps, some biological function.
Overexpression of broad : a new insight into its role in the Drosophila prothoracic gland cells

Insect molting is triggered by ecdysteroids, which are produced in the prothoracic glands (PG). The broad (br) gene is one of the 'early genes' directly regulated by ecdysteroids. Ectopic expression of the BR-Z3 isoform in early second instar Drosophila larvae (L2) before the rise of the ecdysteroid titer prevented molting to the third instar, but the larvae subsequently formed L2 prepupae after prolonged feeding. When these larvae were fed on diet containing 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), they formed pharate third instar larvae. The critical weight for normal L3 pupariation of w(1118) larvae was found to be 0.8 mg and that for L2 pupariation was 0.45 mg. We also defined a threshold weight for metamorphosis of 0.3 mg, above which L2 larvae will metamorphose when provided with 20E. BR-Z3 apparently works through the PG cells of the ring gland but not the putative neurosecretory cells that drive ecdysone secretion, because ectopic expression of BR-Z3 specifically in the ring gland caused 53% of the larvae to become permanent first instar larvae. Driving other BR isoforms in the ring gland prevented larval molting or pupariation to varying degrees. These molting defects were rescued by feeding 20E. Overexpression of each of the BR isoforms caused degeneration of the PG cells but on different time courses, indicating that BR is a signal for the degeneration of the PG cells that normally occurs during the pupal-adult transition.
The role of AMP‐activated protein kinase in mitochondrial biogenesis

While it has been known for more than 75 years that physical activity is associated with increased mitochondrial content in muscle, the molecular mechanism for this adaptive process has only recently been elucidated. This brief review examines existing studies that have identified AMPK-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and several other key regulators of mitochondrial biogenesis, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α and -1β, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV, and nitric oxide. In addition, the potential role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance associated with ageing and type 2 diabetes mellitus is also discussed.
EEG alpha sensitization in individualized homeopathic treatment of fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM) patients show evidence of sensitizability in pain pathways and electroencephalographic (EEG) alterations. One proposed mechanism for the claimed effects of homeopathy, a form of complementary medicine used for FM, is time-dependent sensitization (TDS, progressive amplification) of host responses. This study examined possible sensitization-related changes in EEG relative alpha magnitude during a clinical trial of homeopathy in FM. A 4-month randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind trial of daily orally administered individualized homeopathy in physician-confirmed FM, with an additional 2-month optional crossover phase, included three laboratory sessions, at baseline, 3 and 6 months (N = 48, age 49.2 +/- 9.8 years, 94% women). Nineteen leads of EEG relative alpha magnitude at rest and during olfactory administration of treatment and control solutions were evaluated in each session. After 3 months, the active treatment group significantly increased, while the placebo group decreased, in global alpha-1 and alpha-2 during bottle sniffs over sessions. At 6 months, the subset of active patients who stayed on active continued to increase, while the active-switch subgroup reversed direction in alpha magnitude. Groups did not differ in resting alpha. Consistent with the TDS hypothesis, sniff alpha-1 and alpha-2 increases at 6 months versus baseline correlated with total amount of time on active remedy over all subjects (r = 0.45, p = .003), not with dose changes or clinical outcomes in the active group. The findings suggest initiation of TDS in relative EEG alpha magnitude by daily oral administration of active homeopathic medicines versus placebo, with laboratory elicitation by temporolimbic olfactory stimulation or sniffing.
DIVERGENCE IN THE G-PROTEIN-COUPLED RECEPTOR MITOGENIC SIGNALLING PATHWAY AT THE LEVEL OF RAF KINASE

Abstract While activation of tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors is accompanied by hyperphosphorylation of Raf-1, stimulation of receptors coupled to G-proteins has in some cases been shown to result in activation of a non-Raf MEKK rather than of Raf itself. Our finding (Weiss, R. H., and Nuccitelli, R. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 5608–5613) that the thrombin receptor requires tyrosine phosphorylation for its mitogenic effect in vascular smooth muscle cells led us to search for the molecules which are being tyrosine phosphorylated by this receptor. To determine whether mitogenic signalling of G-protein-coupled growth factor receptors results in tyrosine phosphorylation of Raf, we examined activation of Raf by two such receptors. Both thrombin and angiotensin II are mitogenic in NIH3T3 cells, but only thrombin causes hyperphosphorylation of Raf-1. Activation of Raf by thrombin is associated with phosphorylation of Raf-1 on tyrosine residues, whereas activation of Raf by angiotensin II does not involve significant tyrosine phosphorylation. However, Shc is tyrosine phosphorylated by both thrombin and angiotensin II. Thus, there exists a divergence in the mitogenic signalling pathways of the G-protein-coupled receptors relative to the Raf signalling cascade. While both thrombin and angiotensin II phosphorylate Shc and activate Raf catalytic activity, only thrombin phosphorylated Raf-1 on tyrosine. This signalling through disparate Raf-coupled pathways suggests one means by which the G-protein-coupled receptors may confer specificity in their signalling properties.
INSECT POLLINATORS OF THREE RARE PLANTS IN A FLORIDA LONGLEAF PINE FOREST

As a result of human activity, longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Miller) forests in the southern United States have been lost or drastically altered. Many of the plant species that historically occupied those forests now persist only as remnants and are classified as threatened or endangered. In order to safeguard such species, a better understanding of their pollination ecology is needed. We identified insect visitors and potential pollinators of Harperocallis flava (McDaniel) (Amaryllidaceae), Macbridea alba Chapman (Lamiaceae) and Scutellaria floridana Chapman (Lamiaceae) that occur in longleaf pine habitat on the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida. We observed that potential pollinators of H. flava were Halictidae, of M. alba were bumble bees (Apidae: Bombus), and of S. floridana were Megachilidae and Halictidae. However, the rates at which these insects visited the flowers were very low. Our results raise important concerns about how forest management practices affect the survival of rare plants, as well as their pollinators.
Adipose tissue deficiency, glucose intolerance, and increased atherosclerosis result from mutation in the mouse fatty liver dystrophy (fld) gene.

The fatty liver dystrophy ( fld ) mutant mouse is characterized by neonatal fatty liver and hypertriglyceri- demia that resolve at weaning, and neuropathy affecting pe- ripheral nerve in adulthood. We now report additional sig- nificant manifestations of this single gene mutation, which include adipose tissue deficiency, glucose intolerance, and increased susceptibility to atherosclerosis. In adult fld/fld mice, both white and brown fat pads exhibit an 80% reduc- tion in mass compared with wild-type controls, and consist of immature adipocytes as assessed by morphological and molecular criteria. The lack of lipid accumulation in fld/fld adipose tissue could be attributed, in part, to a failure to in- duce expression of lipoprotein lipase and enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis, such as fatty acid synthase and acetyl- CoA carboxylase. Related to the deficiency of adipose tissue, fld/fld mice were also found to exhibit profound glucose in- tolerance, modest hyperinsulinemia, and reduced tissue re- sponse to insulin. As insulin resistance is a important risk factor in vascular disease, we examined susceptibility of fld/fld mice to diet-induced atherosclerosis. Mutant mice fed an atherogenic diet developed 2-fold greater aortic lesions than their wild-type counterparts, despite having a less atherogenic lipoprotein cholesterol profile. The fld adipose-deficient phe- notype has both similarities to and distinctions from the group of rare human diseases known as lipodystrophies. — Reue, K., P. Xu, X-P. Wang, and B. G. Slavin. Adipose tissue deficiency, glucose intolerance, and increased atherosclero- sis result from mutation in the mouse fatty liver dystrophy ( fld ) gene. J. Lipid Res. 2000. 41: 1067-1076.
Chemical shift of hyperpolarized 129 Xe dissolved in liquid nitrogen

We report NMR measurements of hyperpolarized xenon dissolved in liquid nitrogen. The dependence of the ${}^{129}\mathrm{Xe}$ frequency shift on liquid nitrogen temperature was measured along the nitrogen saturated vapor curve from 77 to 93 K. Plotted as a function of the liquid nitrogen density, the chemical shift of xenon is very well described by a simple proportionality relation, with a slope of 0.2135(15) ppm/amagat. The relationship between the chemical shift and the longitudinal spin relaxation is considered in terms of the spin-rotation interaction, and estimates of Xe relaxation time in liquid nitrogen are discussed.
Influence of solvation and the persistence of adsorbed linkers on the attachment of CdSe quantum dots to TiO2 via linker-assisted assembly.

CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were attached to the surfaces of nanocrystalline TiO2 films functionalized with 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (MHDA). The solvent from which MHDA was adsorbed to TiO2 determined the amount of adsorbed MHDA, the extent of ordering within monolayers, and the lability of MHDA–TiO2 interactions, which in turn dictated the quality of QD-functionalized TiO2 films. When MHDA was adsorbed to TiO2 from dichloromethane, toluene, or heptane, it desorbed into toluene dispersions of CdSe QDs, causing the flocculation of QDs and the formation of opaque, nonuniform QD-functionalized TiO2 films overcoated with thick (0.1–0.5 μm) layers of agglomerated CdSe. When MHDA was adsorbed to TiO2 from tetrahydrofuran, it persisted upon exposure to toluene dispersions of QDs. The resulting QD-functionalized TiO2 films were transparent with a uniform loading of QDs and without an agglomerated overlayer. Control experiments revealed that flocculation and the formation of low-quality films were correlated with ...
Effect of epinephrine, antihistaminics and adrenergic blockade on egg white edema in adrenal insufficient rats.

SummaryEpinephrine protects adrenal insufficient rats from the edema and mortality caused by the intraperitoneal administration of egg white. Mortality is prevented by doses (0.04 mg/kg) which are not able to prevent edema in rats with intact adrenals.The antihistaminic Phenergan, N-dimethyl-amino-2-propyl-l-thiodiphenylamine (“3277 RP”), in doses as low as 5 mg/kg prevent death from egg white edema in adrenalectomized rats.“SY-28”, N-(2-bromoethyl)-1-naphthalene-methylamine hydrobromide, a Dibenamine congener possessing both antihistaminic and adrenergic blocking activity, also prevents the edema and death, but is in itself toxic to adrenalectomized rats.“SKF-501”, N-(9-fluorenyl)-N-ethyl-β-chloroethylamine, a Dibenamine cogener with potent adrenergic blocking powers but with a low toxicity and without antihistamine action, also inhibits the edema and decreases the mortality.The possible modes of action are discussed.
The Economics of a Low-Input Drylot Cow/Calf Operation Integrated with a Minimum-Till or Conventional Grain Farm

Abstract Addition of livestock to a farm currently specializing in crop production was investigated as it relates to two management schemes: conventional and minimum-till. Conventional management was an attempt to emulate mainstream farm practices as it relates to field operations and chemical inputs. Minimum-till management attempts to reduce the need for tillage and off-farm inputs. A low-input drylot cow (n = 85) was added to the alternatively managed grain farms. The minimum-till-managed grain farm had the highest return to overhead at US$43,805. The conventionally managed grain farm had the greatest advantage to adding the cow herd by increasing returns to overhead by US$22,467. The conventionally managed farm is more capital intensive than the minimum-till operation with and without the added drylot herd.
THE SECOND NATIONAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION EXAMINATION SURVEY 1976%1980

The components of reliability for eight anthropometric measures were studied in 95 male and 134 female subjects from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II). The contributions to unreliability variance (Sr2) that occur as a result of measuring errors (Sp2, imprecision variance) and of intrasubject fluctuations in a measurement due to physiologic factors (Sd2, undependability) were estimated (Sr2 = Sp2 + Sd2). Unreliability was then related to the between-subject variance (S2) to estimate the reliability (R = 1 - (Sr2/S2)) of the measurement. Four of the anthropometric measurements (weight, height, sitting height, and arm circumference) had reliabilities in excess of R = 0.97. In the first three of these, measurement imprecision made up two thirds or less of unreliability, and undependability (Sd2) was stable by two weeks. Lesser but still acceptable reliabilities were obtained for triceps and subscapular skinfolds, bitrochanteric breadth, and elbow breadth (R = 0.81-0.95). For these variables imprecision (Sp2) was the major source of error. Furthermore, the unreliability (Sr2) between observers was twice as high or more than the unreliability within observers for these variables, evidence that imprecision (Sp2) is the single most important source of unreliability in these anthropometric measurements. Unreliability standard deviations of skinfolds increased in a linear manner with skinfold thickness corresponding to an unreliability coefficient of variation of 13-19 per cent. None of the other measurements showed such scale effects. Analyses of the kind suggested will help epidemiologists decide whether reliability can be increased by improving precision, and whether there is a need to improve reliability in the first place. Reliability appears to be adequate for all anthropometry in the NHANES II.
Penetrating abdominal trauma.

Summary Penetrating trauma of the abdomen no longer warrants automatic laparotomy. Reasonably accurate clinical predictors of the need for operation should first be employed. Patients who do not meet these clinical criteria undergo a selective diagnostic approach on the basis of mechanism and site of injury and the experience and expertise of the respective institution. The desire to avoid unnecessary laparotomy is laudable. Nevertheless marked morbidity or mortality caused by failure to conduct laparotomy in a timely manner can be a dreaded consequence. When clinical and diagnostic studies are unable to resolve the presence or severity of injury, laparotomy is often more prudent than expectant observation.
A Phenomenological Methodology for Art Criticism

A foundation for critical dialogue is formed as three clusters of propositions: presuppositions for art criticism, proposals for the practice of art criticism, and statements suggesting the significance of art criticism for individuals in society. Based upon these propositions and generally following a phenomenological method of description, a method of art criticism is outlined involving five consecutively ordered yet functionally integrated components: (1) receptiveness, (2) orienting, (3) bracketing, (4) interpretive analysis, and (5) synthesis.
Simultaneous dual baseline differential VLBI

Attention is drawn to the benefits of simultaneous dual baseline radio interferometric measurements for low altitude planetary orbiter navigation. The radio interferometric data types constitute a valuable addition to conventional tracking data in the establishment of orbit-plane orientation, thanks to their measurement of inertial reference cross-track velocity. The present results show that only a few Delta-VLBI measurements, taken at either end of a conventional tracking arc, suffice for the realization of a positional accuracy of better than 1 km for the case of a Venus Orbiting Imaging Radar-type planetary orbiter. This is comparable to Deep Space Net accuracies, despite the use of a shorter baseline.
Conflicted cultivation: Parenting, privilege, and moral worth in wealthy New York families

Recent research on parenting and social class has identified cultivation strategies that focus on expanding children’s skills and advantages, but such work has not looked specifically at parenting among elites. Drawing on 50 in-depth interviews, this article investigates the childrearing strategies and discourses of wealthy and affluent parents living in and around New York City. Concerned about raising “entitled” children, elite parents employ strategies of constraint (on behavioral and material entitlements) and exposure (to less advantaged social others) to produce morally “good people.” However, these strategies stand in tension with another significant parental concern: the expansion of both children’s selfhood and their opportunities. Ultimately, though not quite intentionally, parents cultivate an appropriate habitus of privilege, rather than significantly limit their children’s material or experiential advantages. Parents’ discourses about constituting not-entitled subjects are important for two reasons. One, they illuminate the struggles of liberal elites to be morally worthy in an environment marked by extreme inequality, challenging assumptions about the instrumentality of their action. Two, they reveal the affective and behavioral bases of legitimate entitlement more generally: what matters is how people act and how they feel, not what they have.
Synthesis, reactivity, and sulfide quenching of helical viologens

The first examples of chiral helical viologens are reported. These novel compounds have sufficiently long singlet lifetimes to support bimolecular photochemical reactions. They are quenched with di...
Prevention of Polyphenols Against Carcinogenesis Induced by Environmental Carcinogens

Cancer is one of the major causes of death in humans. Of all cancers, 19% are attributed to exposure to environmental chemical carcinogens. Dietary polyphenols from teas, vegetables, fruits, and many others exhibit multiple activities against cancers. Exposure to environmental carcinogens such as ultraviolet B (UVB), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals has been demonstrated to cause cancer in humans. In this article, we specifically select UVB, PAHs, and metals as representative of three types of environmental carcinogens: physical, organic, and inorganic, respectively. We provide a comprehensive review on the role of various dietary polyphenols against carcinogenesis induced by those three types of carcinogens. We summarize the current knowledge of and prospects for prevention of those three groups of carcinogens induced by dietary polyphenols in vitro and in vivo.
Association of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Urolithiasis in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients

Background Urolithiasis is rare in pediatric patients. All patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have an increased risk of urolithiasis, but this risk is poorly quantified in children. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association of IBD with urolithiasis, assess surgical outcomes, and analyze the financial burden for children hospitalized with urolithiasis and comorbid IBD. Methods The triennial Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database for years 1997 to 2012 was used to evaluate the association between urolithiasis and IBD in hospitalized, nonpregnant children ages 5 to 20 years old. Billing codes were used to define conditions. Logistic regression analysis quantified the association between IBD types and urolithiasis. Length of hospital stay, costs, procedures, and complications were compared between urolithiasis patients with and without IBD. Results Among 8,828,522 hospital admissions, we identified 36,771 admissions with a primary diagnosis of urolithiasis. Of these cases, 230 were associated with Crohn's disease (odds ratios, 1.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.74-2.27) and 102 with ulcerative colitis (odds ratio, 1.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.34-1.99). Urolithiasis patients with ulcerative colitis, but not Crohn's disease, had significantly increased length of stay and costs. Patients with either IBD had a decreased number of urologic procedures. Conclusions The diagnosis of urolithiasis in pediatric patients is associated with IBD, and those with ulcerative colitis have longer hospital stays and greater costs. Patients with IBD have fewer urologic procedures associated with their urolithiasis diagnosis.
Adversarially Robust Policy Learning: Active construction of physically-plausible perturbations

Policy search methods in reinforcement learning have demonstrated success in scaling up to larger problems beyond toy examples. However, deploying these methods on real robots remains challenging due to the large sample complexity required during learning and their vulnerability to malicious intervention. We introduce Adversarially Robust Policy Learning (ARPL), an algorithm that leverages active computation of physically-plausible adversarial examples during training to enable robust policy learning in the source domain and robust performance under both random and adversarial input perturbations. We evaluate ARPL on four continuous control tasks and show superior resilience to changes in physical environment dynamics parameters and environment state as compared to state-of-the-art robust policy learning methods. Code, data, and additional experimental results are available at: stanfordvl.github.io/ARPL
Thermodynamic Interactions in a Model Polydiene/Polyolefin Blend Based on 1,2-Polybutadiene

Thermodynamic interactions in polydiene/polyolefin blends composed of 1,2-polybutadiene (1,2-PBD) and fully saturated (with deuterium) 1,2-PBD were explored with small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Two methods were employed to extract the temperature dependence of the Flory–Huggins interaction parameter, χ, from SANS data obtained in the single-phase region. First, Zimm analysis was conducted employing data obtained at low scattering angles, providing a model-independent method of characterizing χ. Next, the random phase approximation was fit to the full angle-dependent absolute scattering intensity. The χ parameter for 1,2-PBD/saturated 1,2-PBD was found to be large in magnitude at low temperatures and exhibited a strong temperature dependence. The experimentally measured χ, at high temperatures, was in agreement with predictions of solubility parameter theory based on PVT properties of the individual components. The large and strongly temperature-dependent χ parameter of the 1,2-PBD/saturated 1,2-PBD...
Three-dimensional models of the heart: advantages and limitations

The three-dimensional models of the heart that have been hitherto proposed are critically reviewed. Finite element analysis of the stress distributions in the cardiac walls and valves, and the developed methods for inverse estimation of myocardial elasticity and contractility during cardiac cycles are especially examined to assess their advantages and limitations. Future finite element cardiac researches are projected and regional myocardial studies are advocated. A blood-myocardium composite model which can simulate the measured ventricular wall volume changes during cardic cycles is proposed. A methodology is described for calculating the myocardial fiber contraction during systolic phase based on the proposed model and by use of the measured regional wall thickness and blood volume data. These data are to be collected with a high spatial and temporal resolution scanning device such as the dynamic spatial re-constructor (DSR) available at the Mayo Clinic.
Biomechanical Aspects of Growth and Tissue Engineering

All parents want healthy children. Everyone wants a strong and handsome body. We all believe that a proper level of exercise, i.e. a proper level of stress and strain, is necessary for health. This is common sense. If we can turn this common sense into a precise knowledge about stress and growth, then it will enlighten biology in general, help surgeons to engineer healing, throw light on physical education, sports techniques, health care, rehabilitation.
The Theory of the Knowledge Square and the Information Structure: The Points of Entry and Departure

In a number of my writings on philosophy of science, the theory of knowledge and foundations of fuzzy laws of thought, I view them from the vantage point of the theories of economic behavior, complexity of social dynamics, self-correcting systems, decision-choice systems and synergetic behavior of systems rather than as a philosopher or a mathematician. From this vantage point, I introduced an analytical concept of theknowledge square to allow me to deal with the problems of the relative positions of the critical concepts of exactness and inexactness in the general knowledge-production process. The problems of exactness and inexactness as seen in the exact-inexact duality are related to quantity and quality of information structures in categorial conversions and epistemic transformations of information signals into knowledge elements in the epistemological space [R2.3] [R2.10] [R11.21] [R11.22].