cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiofrequency Volumetric Tissue Reduction of the Palate in Subjects With Sleep-Disordered Breathing

Study objectives To evaluate pain, swallowing, speech, edematous response, tissue shrinkage, sleep, snoring, and safety (energy limits and adverse effects) following radiofrequency (RF) treatment to the palate in 22 subjects with sleep-disordered breathing. Design This investigation is a prospective nonrandomized study. Polysomnography, radiographic imaging, and infrared thermography, along with questionnaires and visual analog scales, were used to evaluate the effects of RF treatment to the palate. Setting Treatments were delivered on an outpatient basis at Stanford University Medical Center. Patients Twenty-two healthy patients (18 men), with a mean age of 45.3±9.1 years, were enrolled. All were snorers seeking treatment and met predetermined criteria: a respiratory disturbance index ≤15, oxygen saturation ≥85%, and a complaint of daytime sleepiness. Intervention RF was delivered to the submucosa of the palate with a custom-fabricated electrode for a mean duration of 141 ±30 s with a mean of 3.6±1.2 treatments per patient. Reduction of their snoring scores determined the end point of the study. Results Neither speech nor swallowing was adversely affected. Pain was of short duration (0 to 48 h) and was controlled with acetaminophen. There were no infections. Although there was documented edema at 24 to 48 h, there were no clinical airway compromises. Polysomnographic data showed improvement in esophageal pressure measurements of the mean nadir and the 95th percentile nadir (p=0.031, p=0.001) respectively, as well as the mean sleep efficiency index (p=0.002). Radiographic imaging showed a mean shrinkage of 5.5±3.7 mm (p≤0.0001). Subjective snoring scores fell by a mean of 77% (8.3±1.8 to 1.9±1.7, p=0.0001) accompanied by improved mean Epworth sleepiness scores (8.5±4.4 to 5.2±3.3, p=0.0001). Conclusion The results of this investigation allowed the formulation of safety parameters for RF in this defined population with mild sleep-disordered breathing. There was a documented tissue reduction and improvement in symptoms in all subjects. However, given the small sample size and short-term follow-up, these results should be confirmed by further investigation.
Simulated Martensitic Transformations

Molecular dynamic computer simulations have recently provided some very graphic portrayals of how model lattices can surmount nucleation barriers of various types and accomplish certain kinds of first order displacive transitions. A survey of the different two-and three-dimensional transformations observed to date, along with relevant details about inter-atomic potential, potencies of nucleating defects and preferred transformation paths will be presented. The simulation of other types of first order transformation in solids, such as melting and allotropic transformations will be touched upon. Methods by which a close representation of martensitic transformations in real systems should be obtainable will be discussed.
Solutions to x−axb=w

Abstract Let T ( w )= awb , where a , b , w ∈ A , the bounded linear operators on a Hilbert space. We settle an open question of Redheffer and Redlinger by showing that the spectral radius of T may be 1 even though Σ T k ( w ) converges for every w ∈ A .
Perimenstrual headache: Treatment options

At least half of women migraineurs experience menstrual migraine (MM), suggesting a hormonal explanation for the incidence of these headaches. Basic science efforts suggest a relationship between estrogen and the neurotransmitters and neuronal structures critical in the pathophysiology of migraine. The notion that MM is more severe, longer in duration, and more resistant to treatment than headaches occurring at other times during the menstrual cycle may apply more to women seeking treatment for their headaches than to migraineurs in the general population. Triptans have been shown to be effective as both an abortive and short-term preventive treatment, and estradiol has been shown to be an effective short-term preventive treatment. Ergotamines, combinations of drugs such as sumatriptan-naproxen sodium, and rizatriptan with dexamethasone show promise in the treatment of of MM.
Density Inhomogeneities of Highly Charged Polyelectrolyte Solutions Confined between Uncharged and Nonadsorbing Walls

Monte Carlo simulations are used to study the density profile of dilute and semidilute solutions of highly charged polyelectrolytes confined between uncharged and nonadsorbing walls. We find that the density profile displays oscillations whose wavelength corresponds to that of correlations in bulk polyelectrolyte solutions. The amplitude of the oscillations increases with chain molecular weight. The density oscillations observed cannot be attributed to the confining walls, poor backbone solubility, colloidal-like ordering, or nonuniform distribution of counterions. We conclude that the correlations in polyeletrolyte solutions must be due to a balance between the segment-segment electrostatic interactions and the chains' translational entropy.
Double- and triple-differential cross sections for the low-energy electron-impact ionization of hydrogen

Double- and triple-differential cross sections are presented for the electron-impact ionization of ground-state hydrogen at incident electron energies of 15.6 and $17.6\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV}$. The time-dependent close-coupling method is used to calculate the differential ionization cross sections, and comparisons are made with previous theoretical calculations and with experimental measurements. Excellent agreement is obtained between our calculations and previous work.
An Analysis of Fifty Citation Superstars from the Scientific Literature.

This article contains results from a literary analysis of fifty scientific papers selected from the top 100 most-cited papers appearing in the Science Citation Index for the period 1945–1988. Most ...
Tolerance to and dependence on MK-801 (dizocilpine) in rats

Rats were trained to respond under a fixed-ratio 30 schedule for food presentation during four daily 0.5-h sessions occurring every 6 h. After stable baseline response was established, osmotic minipumps were implanted that infused vehicle or (+)-5 methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d] cyclohepten-5,10-imine hydrogen maleate (dizocilpine; MK-801), SC. Behavioral sessions continued to be conducted daily. After 10 days the infusion pumps were removed. Vehicle and 0.10 mg/kg per day MK-801 did not affect behavior during infusions or after cessation of dosing. Dosing with 0.32 and 0.56 mg/kg per day initially suppressed responding, but tolerance developed to these effects. After the infusions were stopped, a dose-dependent disruption of operant behavior occurred. Response rates for the 0.32 and 0.56 mg/kg per day infusion groups were suppressed to 41 and 27% of preinfusion control response rates, respectively, the day after dosing stopped; however, no physical signs of abstinence were observed. Response rates recovered toward control over the next 2-4 days. In a separate experiment, the suppression of response produced by abstinence from 0.32 mg/kg per day of MK-801 (SC) for 10.5 days was reversed by readministration of MK-801 (IP). These results demonstrate that MK-801 produces dependence, as evidenced by the emergence of a behavioral abstinence syndrome after cessation of dosing.
Water Rich, Resource Poor: Intersections of Gender, Poverty, and Vulnerability in Newly Irrigated Areas of Southeastern Turkey

Summary The provision of water for drinking and irrigation is often assumed to alleviate poverty, though results are likely to be mixed for different individuals. This paper examines the intersections of gender poverty, livelihoods, landlessness, and related considerations in the context of large-scale water development in Turkey’s Southeastern Anatolia region, particularly exploring what such an analysis allows for an understanding of variable and differentiated effects of ongoing changes. Findings suggest that certain populations experience enhanced vulnerabilities, and considerable losses, in addition to any gains and benefits of ongoing changes (particularly the landless, poor, some women, and those who previously engaged in animal husbandry). This discussion contributes to a growing gender and water literature, arguing for an intersectional analysis that understands gender as necessarily conditioned by poverty, livelihoods, and other factors. Further, I argue for the need to further enrich analyses of differentiated benefits and vulnerabilities of water-related changes through consideration of geographic, spatial, and place-specific dimensions.
Insulin pump therapy in pediatrics: a therapeutic alternative to safely lower HbA1c levels across all age groups.

Abstract: Objective: To examine the efficacy and safety of using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy in a large group of patients 18 months to 18 yr from a single pediatric diabetes program. Research design and methods: All patients ≤ 18 yr of age starting on CSII from 1 January 1997 to 31 March 2000 at the Yale Children's Diabetes Program were included. Clinical data were collected prospectively before and during pump treatment. HbA1c was the primary efficacy outcome and rates of diabetes-related adverse events were the primary safety measures. Results: One hundred and sixty-one children ranging in age from 18 months to 18 yr received CSII for an average of 32 ± 9 months when data collection was closed on 31 October 2001, including 26 preschoolers (< 7 yr), 76 school-agers (7–11 yr) and 59 adolescents (12–18 yr). Mean HbA1c levels were 7.1% in the preschoolers, 7.8% in the school-agers and 8.1% in the adolescents prior to the start of CSII. There was a significant and consistent reduction in mean HbA1c levels after 12 months of CSII (to 6.5% in preschoolers, 7.3% in school-agers and 7.4% in adolescents, p < 0.02 vs. prepump) that was maintained at the most recent visit. Improved diabetes control was achieved with CSII without increasing daily insulin doses and in association with a decrease in the frequency of severe hypoglycemic events (p < 0.05 vs. prepump, all three age groups combined). Conclusions: CSII is an effective alternative to injection therapy in a large pediatric diabetes clinic setting. Even very young patients can utilize CSII to safely lower HbA1c levels.
The Electric Field Induced In A Spherical Volume Conductor By A Magnetic Coil

A computer model is developed to predict the induced current density in brain from an arbitrary magnetic stimulator coil arrangement. The head is modeled as a uniform spherical conductor, and a least squares fit to an analytical solution of Laplace's equation is used to solve the boundary value problem. This method requires much less computational time and storage compared to finite element methods, yet provides accurate results for homogeneous models having simple geometry. The results for a double-square shaped stimulator coil are presented.
The role of decision-making ability in HIV/AIDS: Impact on prospective memory

Background: Prospective memory (ProM), a form of episodic memory related to execution of future intentions, is important for everyday functioning. Among persons living with HIV (PLWH), executive dysfunction is implicated in ProM impairments. However, specific subcomponents of executive functioning involved in ProM deficits remain poorly understood. Unlike more “traditional” neurocognitive (NC) measures of executive functioning associated with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (i.e., conceptual reasoning, abstraction), those associated with medial orbitofrontal/ventromedial prefrontal (mOF/vmP) cortex (i.e., decision making, inhibitory control, goal-oriented behavior) have yet to be examined in ProM. Method: This study characterized ProM ability in a sample of 89 HIV-seropositive adults and examined the unique role of decision-making ability in ProM. Participants completed a standard NC battery, the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT; a decision-making measure), and the Memory for Intentions Screening Test (MIST; a ProM...
Can practice guidelines safely reduce hospital length of stay? Results from a multicenter interventional study

Abstract Background: Although practice guidelines about appropriate lengths of stay have been widely promulgated, their effects on patient outcomes are not clear. Our objective was to study the effects of length of stay practice guidelines on patient outcomes. Patients and Methods: We performed a prospective, nonrandomized, interventional trial in six geographically distributed hospitals, among consecutively hospitalized "low-risk" patients with total hip replacement, hip fracture, or knee replacement. Case managers provided physicians with patient risk information based on guideline recommendations. We measured length of stay, compliance with recommended guideline length of stay, health status, hospital readmission rates, return to emergency department, return to work and recreation, and patient satisfaction. Results: A total of 560 patients were included in the study. For patients with knee replacement, there was a statistically significant increase in practice guideline compliance (27% baseline versus 53% intervention, P P P = 0.01) and reduction in length of stay (5.1 days versus 4.8 days, P = 0.03). Significant reductions in length of stay were not observed for patients recovering after hip fracture despite a significant increase in guideline compliance. There were few statistically significant changes in patient outcomes related to reductions in lengths of stay, including health status, hospital readmission rates, return to emergency department, return to work and recreation, and patient satisfaction. For patients undergoing hip replacement, very short lengths of stay (shorter than the guideline recommendation) were associated with an increased rate of discharging patients to nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities (21% versus 7%, P = 0.01), and hip fracture patients with very short lengths of stay required more visits to the doctor after discharge (56% versus 25%, P = 0.04). Conclusion: Reductions in lengths of stay were most often associated with no significant change in patient outcomes. However, very short lengths of stay were associated with increased intensity of care following discharge for patients undergoing hip surgery, indicating possible cost shifting (the cost incurred by transferring patients to rehabilitation facilities may have been greater than had the patients remained in the acute care hospital for an additional 1 or 2 days and been sent directly home). These results emphasize the importance of monitoring the effects of cost containment and other systematic efforts to change patient care at the local level.
Independent effects of interleukin‐1 on proteoglycan breakdown, proteoglycan synthesis, and prostaglandin E2 release from cartilage in organ culture

Exposure of bovine nasal cartilage in culture to interleukin-1 (IL-1) leads to a time- and concentration-dependent stimulation of proteoglycan breakdown and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release, and to inhibition of proteoglycan synthesis. The threshold levels of IL-1 required for initiating these effects were different, and IL-1 was 10 times more potent in inhibiting synthesis than in stimulating breakdown of proteoglycan. Kinetic studies indicated that the effects on proteoglycan metabolism occurred earlier (16-24 hours) than those for PGE2 release (48 hours). Selective effects were observed with inhibitors. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs blocked PGE2 production in response to IL-1, but had no effect on proteoglycan metabolism, and the antiarthritic drugs that blocked IL-1-stimulated breakdown augmented the inhibition of proteoglycan synthesis. We suggest that the effects of IL-1 on proteoglycan breakdown, proteoglycan synthesis, and PGE2 release are mediated by independent post-receptor mechanisms.
Health Care Communications with Diverse Ethnic Groups

The concept of respect is rooted in the core value of human relations, and interpersonal relationships with others. The notion of respect in these relationships is entrenched in the broader context of the processes of relationships between professionals and clients in general, along with the philosophical and ethical foundations of respect. Although nursing principles and values, such as autonomy and dignity have built their foundation of care on the concept of respect, these concepts (ie. autonomyanddignity) are still different fromrespect. Respect withinhealth professional-client relationships, indicates that respect is a fundamental concept within nursing, permeating a number of other conceptsthat providepurposeful nursing care within the process of nurse-client relationships and respect has been discussed as an ethical and moral concept of care that addresses the values of humandignity in thenursingdiscipline, however researchexamining the clientsperspectivesofrespect asanethical principle of care, especiallywithin Canadasdiverse populationis non-existent. There islimitedresearchfromthe client sperspective addressing challenges communicating the concept of respect in relationships between health professionals and clients, specifically research directed at immigrant or the vulnerable population.
Cannabinoid Receptors Are Coupled to Nitric Oxide Release in Invertebrate Immunocytes, Microglia, and Human Monocytes

The present study demonstrates that stereoselective binding sites for anandamide, a naturally occurring cannabinoid substance, can be found in invertebrate immunocytes and microglia. The anandamide-binding site is monophasic and of high affinity, exhibiting a Kd of 34.3 nM with a Bmax of 441 fmol/mg protein. These sites are highly selective, as demonstrated by the inability of other types of signaling molecules to displace [3H]anandamide. Furthermore, this binding site is coupled to nitric oxide release in the invertebrate tissues examined as well as in human monocytes. Interestingly, the cannabinoid-stimulated release of nitric oxide initiates cell rounding. Thus, these cannabinoid actions resemble those of opiate alkaloids. In this regard, we demonstrate that these signaling systems use the same effector system, i.e. nitric oxide release, but separate receptors. Last, the presence of a cannabinoid receptor in selected evolutionary diverse organisms indicates that this signaling system has been conserved for more than 500 million years.
Performance and client heterogeneity in service-based metacomputing

Summary form only given. Service-based modalities are becoming more prevalent in metacomputing and grid computing. The absence of preexisting client-server relationships imply the use of standardized, self-describing protocols, which typically suffer from performance deficiencies. The RMIX framework is designed to permit heterogeneous entities to interact via a service-based paradigm while enabling protocol selection and dynamic protocol switching. In particular, an RPC-compliant communication provider enables multilanguage heterogeneous clients to communicate with servers and leverage well-established RPC/XDR mechanisms to support interoperability without sacrificing performance. We describe the RMIX-RPCX communication substrate, and presents preliminary results that suggest its potential value in enhancing service-oriented heterogeneous metacomputing.
Women’s Close Friendships across Sexual Orientation: A Comparative Analysis of Lesbian-Heterosexual and Bisexual-Heterosexual Women’s Friendships

Interviews were conducted in close friendship pairs with women who ranged in age from 18 to 52 years at the time of interview. Results suggest that women of different sexual orientation identities had different friendship profiles. Comparisons across friendship type suggest that bisexual-heterosexual friends consistently experienced a shift in friendship dynamic based on the sex of partner for the bisexual friend and were more likely than lesbian-heterosexual friends to integrate their friendship into their social lives. Lesbian-heterosexual friendships were significantly more likely to include an explicit acknowledgment of non-heterosexual identity. Although cross-orientation friendships did not consistently include a feminist/political dimension, when friends also differed in racial identity a feminist/political dimension in the friendship became apparent. In cross-race friendships racial minority identities were explicitly acknowledged even when non-heterosexual identities were not.
Methods of comparing test data adequacy criteria

The comparative analysis of test data criteria in software testing is considered, and an attempt is made to investigate how criteria have been and should be compared to each other. It is argued that there are two fundamentally different goals in comparing criteria: (1) to compare the error-exposing ability of criteria, and (2) to compare the cost of using the criteria for selecting and/or evaluating test data. Relations such as the power relation and probable correctness are clearly in the first category, and test case counting is clearly in the second category. Subsumption, in contrast, is not entirely in either category. It is shown that the subsumption relation primarily compares the difficulty of satisfying two criteria. If one assumes that the criteria being compared are applicable, then one can infer their relative power and size complexities from the subsumption relation. In addition, it is shown that, while the size complexity of a criterion gives some indication of the relative cost of using the criterion, it is by no means a sufficient measure of the overall difficulty of using that criterion, which also includes the process of checking whether the predicate defined by the criterion has been satisfied, which may not only be difficult, but impossible. >
Truck Redesign Case: Simulating the Target Costing Process in a Product Design Environment

ABSTRACT: This active learning exercise simulates the target costing process and demonstrates how a management theory (goal setting theory) is relevant to a business improvement initiative (target costing). As part of the target costing simulation, student participants work in teams to address a business issue (product development) that moves across functional boundaries. The simulation begins with students learning how to assemble a model truck and calculate its product cost using activity-based costing. Students are then divided into teams and instructed to reduce the truck's cost through a redesign exercise, subject to certain customer requirements and quality constraints. Typically, the teams achieve cost reduction by eliminating unnecessary parts, by using less expensive parts, and by using less part variety. This exercise provides a unique opportunity for students to actively participate in a redesign exercise. It results in student teams creating a wide variety of truck designs with vastly differen...
Interdomain engineered disulfide bond permitting elucidation of mechanisms of inactivation of coagulation factor Va by activated protein C

Procoagulant factor Va (FVa) is inactivated via limited proteolysis at three Arg residues in the A2 domain by the anticoagulant serine protease, activated protein C (APC). Cleavage by APC at Arg306 in FVa causes dissociation of the A2 domain from the heterotrimeric A1:A2:A3 structure and complete loss of procoagulant activity. To help distinguish inactivation mechanisms involving A2 domain dissociation from inactivation mechanisms involving unfavorable changes in factor Xa (FXa) affinity, we used our FVa homology model to engineer recombinant FVa mutants containing an interdomain disulfide bond (Cys609-Cys1691) between the A2 and A3 domains (A2-SS-A3 mutants) in addition to cleavage site mutations, Arg506Gln and Arg679Gln. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the disulfide bond in A2-SS-A3 mutants prevented dissociation of the A2 domain. In the absence of A2 domain dissociation from the A1:A2:A3 trimer, APC cleavage at Arg306 alone caused a sevenfold decrease in affinity for FXa, whereas APC cleavages at Arg306, Arg506, and Arg679 caused a 70-fold decrease in affinity for FXa and a 10-fold decrease in the kcat of the prothrombinase complex for prothrombin without any effect on the apparent Km for prothrombin. Therefore, for FVa inactivation by APC, dissociation of the A2 domain may provide only a modest final step, whereas the critical events are the cleavages at Arg506 and Arg306, which effectively inactivate FVa before A2 dissociation can take place. Nonetheless, for FVa Leiden (Gln506-FVa) inactivation by APC, A2 domain dissociation may become mechanistically important, depending on the ambient FXa concentration.
Flue Gas NOX Reduction Using Ammonia Radical Injection

A novel technique has been developed for flue gas NOX reduction through the injection of plasma-treated ammonia and its decomposition products. Numerical investigation of the chemical kinetics shows nearly complete NO removal when ammonia radicals are injected into the flue gas. The feasibility of this new technique was experimentally explored on a small-scale laboratory combustor at Carnegie Mellon University and concurrently on a larger-scale combustor at the DOE Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center. Preliminary experimental results have shown that ammonia plasma-injection is more effective than simple ammonia-injection at low flue gas temperatures. NOX reduction of 85 to 90 percent was achieved at a low plasma power input. This technique is expected to provide additional opportunities for inexpensive and effective NOX reduction in stationary sources.
Genetic structure of the diploid-polyploid fish Squalius alburnoides in southern Iberian basins Tejo and Guadiana, based on microsatellites

Several studies have demonstrated the hybrid origin of Squalius alburnoides, a complex of diploid, triploid and tetraploid fish, with Squalius pyrenaicus as the maternal ancestor and an Anaecypris hispanica-like species as the paternal ancestor. The aim of this study was to assess patterns of genetic diversity and similarity between sympatric forms of the different ploidy levels of S. alburnoides and related parental species in the two largest basins that are part of its southern Iberian distribution, the Tejo and Guadiana, using microsatellites. High levels of genetic diversity were found in populations of S. alburnoides from both basins, reflecting the hybrid origin, the high diversity of forms in these river basins and the different modes of reproduction of the complex. Microsatellites indicated low values of genetic differentiation between the non-hybrid all-male form of S. alburnoides and A. hispanica, supporting the view that these forms share a common ancestor. In some instances, diploid and triploid hybrids from the same river basin were more closely related to each other than to their counterparts in the other basins, suggesting an ancient origin for the complex in these Iberian southern basins.
Job Attitude Organization: An Exploratory Study1

An exploratory study was conducted to examine the organization of three often used measures of job satisfaction. Employing a convenient sample of 144 workers, who also were enrolled in evening graduate school courses, relationships between these job satisfaction measures and affective (positive and negative) and cognitive attitudinal components were assessed. The job satisfaction measures were found to vary considerably in terms of their affective and cognitive content. These results were discussed in terms of their relevance to the study of job attitudes.
Radical and Critical Criminology's Treatment of Municipal Policing

Municipal policing in advanced industrialized countries is searching for a new paradigm. Traditional methods of administration, investigation, and patrol are often criticized for being outdated and ineffective, and the latest of experiments, community policing and CompStat, are encountering strong skepticism and even opposition in policing circles and beyond.This situation does not bode well for the current practice and future of policing and law enforcement. So, then, how do we improve policing? We could conduct a focus group or administer some sort of questionnaire like a Delphi study to police administrators or police scholars. Short of this option, among a variety of recommendations, perhaps the time is ripe to reexamine the ideological foundations of policing research, writing, and commentary (hereafter research) to see if there are additional insights that can be gleaned in order to make appropriate recommendations for changes in policing. Ideological biases, if left unchecked, produce poor or misguided policies and practices.Given the importance of this body of work for our understanding of law enforcement, I briefly review the literature on municipal policing in these three Anglo-American democracies, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, by arguing that it can be classified into three types; by reviewing and critiquing each of these approaches; and by suggesting how a radical/critical interpretation of policing might be improved and how we might utilize this information to change policing.
Proportional growth with or without diffusion, and other explanations of scaling

However useful and “creative” scaling may be, it is not accepted as an irreducible scientific principle. Several isolated instances of scaling are both unquestioned and easy to reduce to more fundamental principles, as will be seen in Section 1. There also exists a broad class of would-be universal explanations, many of them variants of proportional growth of U, with or without diffusion of log U. This chapter shows why, countering widely accepted opinion, I view those explanations as unconvincing and unacceptable.
A Behavioral Parent-Training Intervention for a Child With Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a feeding disorder classification in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. (DSM–5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) that describes a pervasive and disruptive pattern of food refusal and/or severe food selectivit
Influence of environmental temperature on resistance to endotoxin.

Summary and conclusionsWe have measured the mortality of mice injected with en-dotoxin at 5 environmental temperatures ranging from 18° to 33°C. At environmental temperatures 20-25 °C mice are most resistant to endotoxin, while at temperatures both above and below this range they are increasingly susceptible to it.We thank Dr. Arthur T. Hertig for generously providing laboratory space and financial support (USPH 5T1 GM 1235) for these experiments; and Dr. Lorna D. Johnson, Dr. Arthur P. Hall, and Dr. Daniel P. Mann for help in revising the manuscript.
SURVIVAL OF HYBRIDS IN A MOSAIC HYBRID ZONE.

The ground crickets Allonemobius fasciatus and A. socius meet in a mosaic hybrid zone that stretches from New Jersey at least as far west as Illinois. Within mixed populations from the contact zone, "pure" species individuals predominate. To determine whether hybrids are less viable than pure-species individuals, and to assess whether the high proportion of pure-species individuals in mixed populations results from hybrid inviability, we performed a cohort analysis. In this study, five mixed populations from the hybrid zone were each sampled three to five times from the fall of 1986 to the spring of 1988. Individuals were assigned to one of three categories based on their genotypes: A. socius (individuals harboring only alleles unique to A. socius), hybrid (individuals with alleles unique to both species), and A. fasciatus (individuals harboring only alleles unique to A. fasciatus). This sampling and measurement scheme permitted monitoring of the proportion of hybrid individuals in a population over time. The results were fairly consistent. The relative survival of A. socius was greater than the relative survival of members of the other two groups in four of the five populations. The relative viability of A. fasciatus was greater than that of hybrids in one population, approximately equal to that of hybrids in two populations, and less than that of hybrids in two populations. These results not only shed light on an important component of fitness, viability from hatching to adulthood, but they demonstrate that loss of hybrid individuals during the course of the field season will not explain deviations from random mating expectations present in mixed populations in late summer. The deviations must be due to assortative mating or to a reproductive barrier operating prior to egg hatch.
Mating disruption of western pine shoot borer (Lepidoptera: Olethreutidae) in lodgepole pine

Pheromone disruption of the mating western pine shoot borer, Eucosma Sonomana Kearfott, was tested in young lodgepole pines, Pinus contorta Douglas, in central Oregon. About 12.5 g of pheromone per hectare was applied in Hercon luretape to five 6-ha plots each year for 3 yr. Incidence of shoot borer larvae in terminal shoots was reduced from 77% infested in untreated plots to 48% in treated plots. This degree of efficacy, although statistically significant, was insufficient to result in measurably increased tree growth. Efficacy was lower than previously demonstrated in ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex Laws. Terminals of trees located toward the treated plot centers were less likely to be infested than those near the edges.
The Role of Framework in Upper Triassic Patch Reefs in the Yukon (Canada)

Upper Triassic patch reefs in the southern Yukon include tabular reefs, about 30 m thick, and semicircular and elongate reefs, over 100 m thick. The tabular reefs consist predominantly offramework built by small calcareous sponges, spongiomorphs, and corals; they are designated as framework buildups, analogous, in a genetic sense, to modern coral reefs. On the other hand, framework is a minor component of the semicircular and elongate reefs, which consist predominantly of skeletal sediment. The skeletal sediment of these reefs is interpreted as a local accumulation of small and disarticulated organisms produced independently of reef framework. Consequently, sediment producers, rather than framebuilding fossils, are inferred to have been the primary builders of these structures, designated as sediment buildups genetically analogous to modern algal bioherms. The sediment buildups in the Yukon are similar to upper Rhaetian patch reefs in Austria. However, the origin of the Austrian reefs has been attributed to framebuilding fossils and sediment producers have not been identified as important reef builders.
Clinical observation of nursing care on the effect of vacuum sealing drainage on19 children's trauma and infection

Objective:To explore the effects and nursing methods of vacuum sealing drainage(VSD) on children'strauma and infection.Methods:VSD was applied to 19 children's with skin necrosis of trauma and infection,and thechildren were given close observation and careful nursing.Results:19 cases application of VSD technology throughclose observation and nursing during treatment.all healed well.Conclusion:VSD in the treatment of pediatric trauma orinfection of skin necrosis has many advantages such as smooth drainage, less obstruction of the lumen and reducecontamination of wound. The technique is simple and curative effect is reliable. Careful nursing and close observationwill affect the operation result and the prognosis directly.
A believable agent for first-person shooter games

In this paper, we present a principled approach to constructing believable game players that relies on a cognitive architecture. The resulting agent is capable of playing the game Urban Combat in a plausible manner when faced with similar situations as its human counterparts. We discuss how architectural features like goal-directed but reactive execution and incremental learning can produce more believable synthetic characters.
Acoustic-prosodic correlates of 'awkward' prosody in story retellings from adolescents with autism.

Atypical speech prosody is a primary characteristic of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), yet it is often excluded from diagnostic instrument algorithms due to poor subjective reliability. Robust, objective prosodic cues can enhance our understanding of those aspects which are atypical in autism. In this work, we connect objective signal-derived descriptors of prosody to subjective perceptions of prosodic awkwardness. Subjectively, more awkward speech is less expressive (more monotone) and more often has perceived awkward rate/rhythm, volume, and intonation. We also find expressivity can be quantified through objective intonation variability features, and that speaking rate and rhythm cues are highly predictive of perceived awkwardness. Acoustic-prosodic features are also able to significantly differentiate subjects with ASD from typically developing (TD) subjects in a classification task, emphasizing the potential of automated methods for diagnostic efficiency and clarity.
An Internal Control for the Diagnosis of Citrus Bacterial Canker by PCR

Citrus Bacterial Canker (CBC), caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac), is a major fruit and foliar disease in citriculture worldwide. This disease, characterized by erumpent lesions on leaves, stems and fruits, is endemic in many areas of South America and Southeast Asia. Economic losses from CBC are the result of the decrease in fresh fruit value, premature abcission of fruit and leaves and those due to regulatory measures designed to halt the spread of the disease (Civerolo, 1984). Because of the importance of Xac as an exotic pathogen in Florida and other areas of the world, the development of efficient methods for diagnosis has been a priority.
Intrinsic features contributing to spike train patterning in proprioceptive cuneate neurons.

The intrinsic processes contributing to the three discharge patterns of proprioceptive cuneate neurons described by Surmeier and Towe were studied experimentally and with computer simulation. Examination of the alterations in excitability produced by antidromic activation suggested that a prolonged inhibition was a concomitant of discharge in proprioceptive cuneate neurons. Computer simulation was performed to test the possible roles of inhibitory hyperpolarizing processes in governing the observed discharge patterns. These simulations used two constant threshold models. The simplest model linearly integrated synaptic potentials until the spike threshold was reached. After the discharge, synaptic potentials that preceded the spike were ignored (i.e., the model was "reset"). The second model was similar to the first except that following a spike two hyperpolarizing processes were activated and preceding events continued to play a role in membrane potential. Simulation of class A spike trains that possessed positive correlations between nearby intervals was successful only with a resetting model. This suggested that class A neurons have fast, no-memory postspike conductance changes, which effectively shunt synaptic charge. Simulation of class B spike trains was possible with the nonresetting model. At least two periodic inputs, which evoked brief, relatively large EPSPs, were required. In addition, a prominent, fast, spike-dependent hyperpolarization and a small-amplitude, slow hyperpolarization were required. Simulation of class C spike trains was also possible with the nonresetting model. Several periodic inputs were required; one input had to evoke a slow suprathreshold EPSP. In contrast to class B simulations, class C spike train simulation required that a large-amplitude, slow hyperpolarization, as well as a brief hyperpolarization, following spike initiation. The results of class B and C simulations suggested that these two groups differed primarily in the amplitude of a slow, hyperpolarizing, postspike conductance. Some role may also be played by the time course of the driving EPSPs.
Cytokinin Signal Transduction

Cytokinins influence many aspects of plant growth and development, including apical dominance, leaf expansion and senescence, nutrient mobilization, chloroplast differentiation and activation of shoot meristems (22). This chapter1 seeks to provide an overview of what is currently known about the signaling mechanisms underlying these cytokinin effects. The biosynthesis, transport, metabolism and specific biological action of cytokinins is covered elsewhere in this book. Over the past ten years many advances have been made toward the understanding of cytokinin signaling including the cloning of several cytokinin receptors and their potential downstream effectors. The primary cytokinin signaling mechanism appears to be analogous to bacterial two-component phosphorelay systems that sense and respond to environmental signals. However, additional pathways may exist and other distinct signaling components have also been implicated in the cytokinin primary response. This chapter will focus on the evidence for early cytokinin signaling events that are similar to the two-component phosphorelay model. In addition, we present summaries of the signaling links between cytokinin and meristem activation and an overview of other genes potentially involved in cytokinin signaling.
Catastrophe and Contention in Rural China: THE MARKET COMES FIRST: THE ECONOMICS OF DISENGAGEMENT AND THE ORIGINS OF REFORM

Following the Great Leap famine, Deng Xiaoping and Liu Shaoqi had promoted a package of reforms designed to relieve suffering in the countryside by pulling back from Mao's radical socialism, among them the retreat from fully collective agriculture entailed in baochan daohu , or the household responsibility system of farming. When Deng and Liu were removed from power during the Cultural Revolution, their reforms were systematically attacked by Maoists, who attempted to eliminate all individual farming and reemphasize the collectives. Following Mao's death in 1976, Deng effectively took control of the party-state. Many scholars have linked the emergence of market forces in post-Mao China to the agrarian reform announced two years later at the Third Plenum of the Eleventh Party Congress in December 1978, when the Deng Xiaoping leadership dealt a decisive blow to Maoist remnants. Minxin Pei's celebrated version of this interpretation claims that the momentum for reform came from mass pressures to escape the economic deprivation of the commune system and from government encouragement of a reform program that China's rural dwellers transformed into their own household responsibility system, a system that opened the door to decollectivization, private business, and market entry. To a certain extent, this interpretation is correct, because village-based farmers did shun the artificial collective and return to private farming after the Great Leap famine, and this spontaneous and instinctive process led naturally to village markets and rural-based market fairs.
Degradation Mechanisms of Magnesium Metal Anodes in Electrolytes based on (CF3SO2)2N– at High Current Densities

The energy density of rechargeable batteries utilizing metals as anodes surpasses that of Li ion batteries, which employ carbon instead. Among possible metals, magnesium represents a potential alternative to the conventional choice, lithium, in terms of storage density, safety, stability, and cost. However, a major obstacle for metal-based batteries is the identification of electrolytes that show reversible deposition/dissolution of the metal anode and support reversible intercalation of ions into a cathode. Traditional Grignard-based Mg electrolytes are excellent with respect to the reversible deposition of Mg, but their limited anodic stability and compatibility with oxide cathodes hinder their applicability in Mg batteries with higher voltage. Non-Grignard electrolytes, which consist of ethereal solutions of magnesium(II) bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (Mg(TFSI)2), remain fairly stable near the potential of Mg deposition. The slight reactivity of these electrolytes toward Mg metal can be remedied b...
Paying the Toll in Nuclear Reprogramming

The ability to reverse lineage-committed cells towards pluripotent stem cells or to another cell type is one of the ultimate goals in regenerative medicine. We recently discovered that activation of innate immunity, through Toll-like receptor 3, is required during this conversion of cell fate by causing global changes in the expression and activity of epigenetic modifiers. Here we discuss, in a comprehensive manner, the recent studies on the role of innate immunity in nuclear reprogramming and transdifferentiation, the underlying mechanisms, and its role in regenerative medicine.
Asymmetric noise-induced large fluctuations in coupled systems

Networks of interacting, communicating subsystems are common in many fields, from ecology, biology, and epidemiology to engineering and robotics. In the presence of noise and uncertainty, interactions between the individual components can lead to unexpected complex system-wide behaviors. In this paper, we consider a generic model of two weakly coupled dynamical systems, and we show how noise in one part of the system is transmitted through the coupling interface. Working synergistically with the coupling, the noise on one system drives a large fluctuation in the other, even when there is no noise in the second system. Moreover, the large fluctuation happens while the first system exhibits only small random oscillations. Uncertainty effects are quantified by showing how characteristic time scales of noise-induced switching scale as a function of the coupling between the two coupled parts of the experiment. In addition, our results show that the probability of switching in the noise-free system scales inversely as the square of reduced noise intensity amplitude, rendering the virtual probability of switching an extremely rare event. Our results showing the interplay between transmitted noise and coupling are also confirmed through simulations, which agree quite well with analytic theory.
Routes to High-Temperature Superconductivity: A Lesson from FeSe/SrTiO3

Raising the superconducting transition temperature to a point where applications are practical is one of the most important challenges in science. In this review, we aim at gaining insights on the Tc controlling factors for a particular high-temperature superconductor family—the FeSe-based superconductors. In particular, we discuss the mechanisms by which the Cooper pairing temperature is enhanced from ∼8 K in bulk FeSe to ∼80 K in the interface between an atomic layer of FeSe and SrTiO3. This includes the experimental hints and the theoretical simulation of the involved mechanisms. We end by applying these insights to suggest some possible high-temperature superconducting systems.
Pineal Region Tumors

This chapter describes the four recognized histologic types of pineal parenchymal tumors (PPTs). Clinical presentation and common signs and symptoms caused by tumors of the pineal region are described. Clinical workup, including relevant imaging studies and laboratory testing, is outlined. The general treatment approach is considered. Roles of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation in the definitive and adjuvant setting are discussed for each histologic type. Radiation therapy techniques are described in detail. Included are delineation of treatment volumes, commonly used treatment doses, and treatment delivery systems, including stereotactic radiosurgery and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Possible acute and chronic radiation toxicities and suggestions for posttreatment surveillance conclude the chapter.