cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drought and land use/land cover impact on dust sources in Southern Great Plains and Chihuahuan Desert of the U.S.: Inferring anthropogenic effect.

Abstract Exploring the effects of drought and land use/land cover (LULC) on aeolian dust emission is important to enhance dust models to account for anthropogenic land surface change. Hitherto, there has been no systematic effort to quantitatively estimate associations between LULC and drought with the number of dust point sources as a surrogate for emission on both local and global levels. Previously, we created a dataset of dust emission point sources in the southwestern United States (U.S.) during the years 2001–2016, including a period of extreme drought. However, that work did not investigate the effects of drought on the detected dust point sources. Here, we used that dataset to test the hypothesis that there is a statistically significant association between drought level and LULC that may contribute to the number of dust point sources in the Southern Great Plains and Chihuahuan Desert regions of the U.S. The spatio-temporal analysis showed that the geographic mean center for all the dust points, as well as the majority of the annual geographic mean centers between 2001 and 2016, is located in the Southern High Plains. Areas suffering from severe to exceptional drought tend to attract the annual geographic mean center of dust points. The chi-square analysis results showed a significant association between land cover type (as defined in the National Land Cover Database) and drought level with the number of dust point sources (χ2 (6) = 45.54, р
Embedded ambivalence: ungoverning global justice

This article argues that fundamental critiques of the transitional justice enterprise paradoxically ended up stabilising it through a mode, style, and experience of (un)governing that I call ‘embed...
Beyond the oversocialized conception of the subject in psychology: Desire, conflict, and the problem of social order:

The question of how individual human beings achieve stable and collaborative social relations, given that they also have diverging desires and interests, remains important for any psychology or psy...
Mapping Saudi Criminal Law

This Article maps the criminal law system in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia enacted a criminal procedure code in 2001, but it lacks a comprehensive penal code, relying instead on (i) identifications of certain acts as violations of the law (from public behavior to matters of the state administrative cogwheel) scattered in various pieces of legislation and (ii) the classical Islamic legal tradition’s classification forming a criminal Islamic common law which is organized into (a) “set punishment” prescribed crimes (hadd, plural hudud), (b) crimes left to the court’s discretion (ta‘zir), and (c) two other forms of “violations of the body” with their own legal regime (qisas/retaliation and diya/blood money). The Article is based on extensive case law released by the Saudi Ministry of Justice.
Computational investigation of platelet thrombus mechanics and stability in stenotic channels.

Abstract The stability of a platelet thrombus under flow is believed to depend strongly on the local hemodynamics and on the thrombus’ porosity, permeability, and elasticity. A two-phase continuum model is used to investigate the biomechanics of thrombus stability in stenotic channels. It treats the thrombus as a porous, viscoelastic material moving differently than the background fluid. The dynamic clot-flow interaction is modeled through a frictional drag term. The model explicitly tracks the formation and breaking of interplatelet molecular bonds, which directly determine the viscoelastic property of the thrombus and govern its ability to resist fluid drag. We characterize the stability/fragility of thrombi for various flow speeds, porosities, bond concentrations, and bond types.
Obstructive sleep apnea and COVID-19 clinical outcomes during hospitalization: a cohort study.

Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an extremely common sleep disorder. A potential association between OSA and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity has been proposed on the ...
Deficiencies of Traditional Grading Systems and Recommendations for the Future.

Objective. To review the issues surrounding the use of grades in the educational process and provide evidence-based recommendations for how to re-design grading practices for optimal value. Findings. Traditional, multi-tiered grading systems (ie, A, B, C, etc.) have historically been a major component of the formal educational process. The way grades are used and interpreted are typically based on some commonly held assumptions including that they are accurate measures of learning, that they motivate students to learn, and that they provide feedback to learners. However, much of the research regarding grades indicates that there are flaws in these assumptions. Grades may not always accurately measure learning, they can have adverse effects on student motivation, and they are not a good form of feedback. Summary. The Academy should consider the evidence regarding the purpose, effects, and interpretation of grades in the educational process. Despite barriers and potential pushback, pharmacy educators should revise grading practices to be more accurate, interpretable, and beneficial to learner development.
Effects of a microbial inoculant and(or) sugarcane molasses on the fermentation, aerobic stability, and digestibility of bermudagrass ensiled at two moisture contents.

Tifton 81 bermudagrass was harvested and ensiled either directly (D; 32.4% DM) or wilted (W; 44.1% DM). Four treatments applied to each harvesting method were 1) control (C), or no additive; 2) dried cane molasses (M) at 5% of DM; 3) microbial inoculant (I; Pioneer 1174); and 4) a combination of Treatments 2 and 3 (MI). Wilting reduced the rate of decline of silage pH (P = .001) and produced silages with greater lactic acid concentrations (P = .069), lower acetic acid (P = .001) and ammonia contents (P = .001), and greater in vitro OM (IVOMD; P = .001) and ADF digestibilities (IVADFD; P = .001). These high-quality silages were less stable under aerobic conditions, as evidenced by greater average temperatures (P = .001) and greater yeast and mold counts (P = .001). Adding M to D forage resulted in silage with lower pH (P = .001), greater concentration of lactic acid (P = .001), greater IVOMD (P = .092), and lower acetic acid (P = .009) and ammonia concentrations (P = .002) than inoculated D silage. Wilted silage treated with MI averaged lower pH (P = .025), greater lactic acid content (P = .001) and IVOMD (P = .001), and lower acetic acid (P = .001) and ammonia concentrations than silages treated with M or I alone. These results indicate that wilting improved bermudagrass silage the most, and that the addition of molasses and inoculant to wilted bermudagrass further enhanced silage quality.
The native v-Raf. hsp90. p50 heterocomplex contains a novel immunophilin of the FK506 binding class

We have recently reported that v-Raf forms a native heterocomplex with rat heat shock protein (hsp) 90 and a 50-kDa phosphoprotein (p50) in stably transfected 3Y1 fibroblasts (Stancato, L. F., Chow, Y-H., Hutchison, K. A., Perdew, G. H., Jove, R., and Pratt, W. B. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 21711-21716). Several members of the nuclear receptor family exist in heterocomplexes containing hsp90 and various members of the immunophilin protein family, including hsp56, an immunophilin of the FK506 binding class (Pratt, W. B. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 21455-21458). In this work, we have asked if Raf is also associated with an immunophilin. We have immunoadsorbed v-Raf from stably transfected rat 3Y1 fibroblasts and show that the immunoadsorbed v-Raf.hsp90.p50 heterocomplex binds the immunosuppressant drug [3H]FK506. The binding is of high affinity (KD 82 nM) and specific in the sense that it is competed by nonradioactive FK506 and rapamycin but not by cyclosporin A. The [3H]FK506 binding activity is eliminated when the heterocomplex proteins are dissociated from v-Raf. Using the 22W mutant of c-Raf in which the NH2-terminal half has been deleted, we show that the catalytic domain of the kinase is sufficient for the immunophilin association. We have shown that hsp90 and p50 do not bind FK506, and the v-Raf heterocomplex does not contain any of the established FK506-binding proteins. Thus, we propose that Raf is associated with a novel immunophilin.
Finiteness theorems in spectral graph theory

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to classify nite graphs satisfyingcertain spectral bounds and give explicit methods for understandingasymptotic behavior of the spectrum. Let Xbe a nite k-regular graphand  1 (X) the second largest eigenvalue of its adjacency matrix. It fol-lows from the well-known Alon{Boppana Theorem, that for any >0there are only nitely many such Xwith  1 (X) <(2 )pk 1. Wee ectively implement Serre’s quantitative version of this result to proveseveral niteness results for the number of vertices in a k-regular graphwith  1 (X) <(2 )pk 1. For example, we give a complete classi- cation of the 3- and 4-regular graphs with  1 (X) 1. Our methodsallow one to compute explicit bounds for any kand . 1 Introduction The purpose of this paper is to classify nite graphs satisfying certain spec-tral bounds and give explicit methods for understanding asymptotic behav-ior of the spectrum. We begin with notation that will be used throughout.Fix kand let Xbe a nite connected k-regular graph with nvertices. If A
The ‘Blue Wall of Silence’ as Evidence of Bias and Motive to Lie: A New Approach to Police Perjury

This paper outlines the problem of police perjury in the United States, and some of the problems the criminal justice system faces in rooting it out.
RNA nanoparticle as a vector for targeted siRNA delivery into glioblastoma mouse model.

// Tae Jin Lee 1 , Farzin Haque 2 , Dan Shu 2 , Ji Young Yoo 3 , Hui Li 2 , Robert A. Yokel 2 , Craig Horbinski 4 , Tae Hyong Kim 3,5 , Sung-Hak Kim 3 , Chang-Hyuk Kwon 3,6 , Ichiro Nakano 3 , Balveen Kaur 3 , Peixuan Guo 2 , Carlo M. Croce 1 1 Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA 2 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanobiotechnology Center, Markey Cancer Center, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA 3 Department of Neurological Surgery, Dardinger Laboratory for Neuro-oncology and Neurosciences, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA 4 Division of Neuropathology, Department of Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA 5 ProteomeTech Inc., Seoul, Korea 6 Neurosciences Research Program, Aurora Health Care Inc., Milwaukee, WI, USA Correspondence to: Carlo M. Croce, email: // Peixuan Guo, email: // Keywords : pRNA, nanoparticle, three-way junction, glioblastoma, siRNA Received : February 14, 2015 Accepted : March 01, 2015 Published : March 23, 2015 Abstract Systemic siRNA administration to target and treat glioblastoma, one of the most deadly cancers, requires robust and efficient delivery platform without immunogenicity. Here we report newly emerged multivalent naked RNA nanoparticle (RNP) based on pRNA 3-way-junction (3WJ) from bacteriophage phi29 to target glioblastoma cells with folate (FA) ligand and deliver siRNA for gene silencing. Systemically injected FA-pRNA-3WJ RNPs successfully targeted and delivered siRNA into brain tumor cells in mice, and efficiently reduced luciferase reporter gene expression (4-fold lower than control). The FA-pRNA-3WJ RNP also can target human patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells, thought to be responsible for tumor initiation and deadly recurrence, without accumulation in adjacent normal brain cells, nor other major internal organs. This study provides possible application of pRNA-3WJ RNP for specific delivery of therapeutics such as siRNA, microRNA and/or chemotherapeutic drugs into glioblastoma cells without inflicting collateral damage to healthy tissues.
Mountain pine beetle infestation impacts: modeling water and energy budgets at the hill‐slope scale

The mountain pine beetle (MPB) epidemic in western North America is generating growing concern associated with aesthetics, ecology, and forest and water resources. Given the substantial acreage of prematurely dying forests within Colorado and Wyoming (~two million acres in 2008), MPB infestations have the potential to significantly alter forest canopy, impacting several aspects of the local water and land-energy cycle. Hydrologic processes that may be influenced include canopy interception of precipitation and radiation, snow accumulation, melt and sublimation, soil infiltration and evapotranspiration. To investigate the changing hydrologic and energy regimes associated with MPB infestations, we used an integrated hydrologic model coupled with a land surface model to incorporate physical processes related to energy at the land surface. This platform was used to model hillslope-scale hydrology and land-energy changes throughout the phases of MPB infestation through modification of the physical parameterisation that accounts for alteration of stomatal resistance and leaf area indices. Our results demonstrate that MPB infested watersheds will experience a decrease in evapotranspiration, an increase in snow accumulation accompanied by earlier and faster snowmelt and associated increases in runoff volume and timing. Impacts are similar to those projected under climate change, yet with a systematically higher snowpack. These results have implications for water resource management because of higher tendencies for flooding in the spring and drought in the summer. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The matrix of the optic vesicle-presumptive lens interface during induction of the lens in the chicken embryo.

The cell coats of the presumptive lens cells and the extracellular interface between the lens rudiment and optic vesicle were investigated in the chicken embryo throughout the period during which lens induction is presumed to take place. Histochemical methods showed that the cell coats contained both glycoproteins and glycos-aminoglycans. Autoradiography after [ 3 H]glucosamine injection indicated incorporation of the precursor with subsequent localization primarily at the cell surface. No obvious changes in the properties of the coat were noted with the progression of early lens morphogenesis. The extracellular matrix at the interface between ectoderm and optic vesicle also contained glycoprotein and glycosaminoglycan. There was a heavy concentration of [ 3 H]glucosamine-containing macromolecules in the area. Electron microscopy revealed that the interface consisted of the basement membrane systems of lens and optic vesicle, fused with their external fibrillar layers. In contrast to the findings on cell coats, the density of the interfacial matrix increases appreciably during the lens induction period. Evidence suggests that the cells of the two ocular epithelia are themselves the source of the matrix materials. It is proposed that the macromolecules excreted by the epithelial cells into the interface interact at different concentrations to form aggregates of various structure by a process of self-assembly. This may be reflected in the different ultrastructure of the layers of the interfacial matrix. Quantitative changes in the density of the matrix, leading to increased adhesion between lens rudiment and optic vesicle, may restrict the lateral spreading of the lens cells and so fixthe basal area of the lens rudiment. This, together with continued cell replication, may produce the cell crowding, placode formation and invagination characteristic of lens morphogenesis.
High risk pediatric emergency air transport.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric Emergency Air Transports (PEATs) at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, were reviewed between November 1986 and December 1987. Severity of illness, complications, and outcome of PEATs were compared with ground transports. Factors associated with PEAT survival were identified. METHODS: Severity of illness was measured using a modified Denver Patient Status Category (DPSC) method and the Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System (TISS). There were 35 PEATs (30 helicopter, five fixed-wing) and 96 ground transports. RESULTS: Mean severity of illness for patients was greater in PEAT than for the ground transport (PEAT DPSC score=4.23+/-1.06 versus ground DPSC=3.57+/-0.89 [SD], p=.0005). The PEAT mortality was associated with a greater mean severity of illness (TISS survivors=19.1+/-11.4 versus non-survivors=44.3+/-9.5, p=.0001), but not with: the presence of an on-flight physician; transport delay; transport duration; age; sex; history of chronic illness; or intra-transport medical complications. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to ground transports, PEATs were used for higher risk patients.
Origin of large magnetic fluctuations in the magnetosheath of Venus

The origin of large-amplitude hydromagnetic waves in the Venus magnetosheath downstream of the quasi-parallel bow shock is investigated by means of numerical simulations. It is shown that the most likely source of these waves is the bow shock itself, rather than an instability involving the solar wind and oxygen ions of planetary origin. Pickup of O(+) ions by these waves is also examined and shown to be in agreement with previous test particle calculations. The effect of mass loading on the structure of the shock is also discussed.
Antagonistic actions of Rcor proteins regulate LSD1 activity and cellular differentiation

Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) demethylates nucleosomal histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) residues in collaboration with the corepressor CoREST/REST corepressor 1 (Rcor1) and regulates cell fates by epigenetically repressing gene targets. The balanced regulation of this demethylase, if any, is however unknown. We now demonstrate the actions of two other Rcor paralogs, Rcor2 and Rcor3, in regulating LSD1 enzymatic activity and biological function in hematopoietic cells. All three Rcor proteins interact with LSD1 and with the erythro-megakaryocytic transcription factor growth factor independence (Gfi)1b; however, whereas Rcor2, like Rcor1, facilitates LSD1-mediated nucleosomal demethylation, Rcor3 competitively inhibits this process. Appending the SANT2 domain of Rcor1 to Rcor3 confers the ability to facilitate LSD1-mediated demethylation on the chimeric Rcor protein. Consistent with their biochemical activities, endogenous Rcor1, Rcor2, and LSD1 promote differentiation, whereas Rcor3 opposes these processes. Recruitment of Rcor3 to cognate gene targets by Gfi1b and LSD1 leads to inhibition of H3K4 demethylation of chromatin and transcriptional derepression of these loci. Remarkably, profound alterations in Rcor1/3 levels during erythroid versus megakaryocytic differentiation potentiate antagonistic outcomes. In mature erythroid cells, a strong upsurge in Rcor3 and a sharp decline in Rcor1 levels counteract LSD1/Rcor1/2-mediated differentiation. In contrast, the opposite changes in Rcor1/3 levels in megakaryocytes favor differentiation and likely maintain homeostasis between these lineages. Overall, our results identify Rcor3 as a natural inhibitor of LSD1 and highlight a dual mechanism of regulating the enzymatic activity and restraining the epigenetic impact of this robust demethylase during hematopoietic differentiation.
Application of the Freundlich adsorption isotherm in the characterization of molecularly imprinted polymers

The binding isotherm for a polymer molecularly imprinted with ethyl adenine-9-acetate was observed to obey the common Freundlich isotherm. To test the generality of the Freundlich isotherm with respect to molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), a survey of systems from the literature was conducted, revealing that the Freundlich isotherm gives a good mathematical approximation of the binding characteristics for non-covalently imprinted polymers. The utility of the Freundlich isotherm in the calculation of binding parameters, as well as its limitations and implication of an exponential distribution of binding sites in imprinted polymers have been discussed.
Two types of cholinergic neurons in the rat tegmental pedunculopontine nucleus: electrophysiological and morphological characterization

Two types of tegmental pedunculopontine nucleus neurons have been reported previously based on their electrophysiological characteristics: type I neurons were characterized by low-threshold Ca spikes and type II neurons displayed a transient outward current. This report describes the membrane properties, synaptic inputs, morphologies and axonal projections of two subgroups of type II neurons examined in an in vitro slice preparation. Type II neurons were divided into two groups based on their spike durations: short-duration neurons with an action potential duration of 0.7-1.5 ms and long-duration neurons with an action potential duration of 1.6- 2.9 ms. Choline acetyltransferase immunohistochemistry combined with biocytin labeling indicated that 56% of short-duration neurons and 61% of long-duration neurons were immunopositive for choline acetyltransferase. Short-duration neurons had a high input resistance and the capacity to discharge with high frequency. By contrast, long-duration neurons had a low input resistance and low firing frequency and upon current injection displayed an accommodation (spike-frequency adaptation) before reaching a steady firing frequency. Microstimulation of the substantia nigra pars compacta evoked antidromic responses in both short-duration neurons (n=5/14, 36%) and long-duration neurons (n=20/39. 51%). Stimulations of the subthalamic nucleus and the substantia nigra pars reticulata induced in these neurons excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials, respectively. Short-duration neurons were dispersed equally throughout the extent of the tegmental pedunculopontine nucleus area, while long-duration neurons were located more in the rostral tegmental pedunculopontine nucleus. Short-duration neurons were small with two to four thin primary dendrites. Long-duration neurons were medium to large with three to six thick primary dendrites. Cell size was positively correlated with spike duration and axonal conduction velocity, but negatively with input resistance and spontaneous firing frequency. Both groups of neurons had ascending (toward thalamus, pretectal areas and tectum) and descending (toward pontomedullary reticular formation) axons in addition to nigropetal axons. Ascending axons were observed in 75% (6/8) of short-duration neurons and in 45% (15/33) of long-duration neurons, while nigropetal axons were observed in 50% (4/8) of short-duration neurons and in 76% (25/33) of long-duration neurons. These results suggest that the tegmental pedunculopontine nucleus cholinergic projection system is composed of heterogeneous populations of neurons in terms of electrophysiological and morphological characteristics as well as their distribution patterns in the nucleus.
Puzzles, models, and neutrinos in extreme-energy cosmic rays

The observation of twenty cosmic-ray air-showers at and above 1020 eV poses two problems for particle astrophysics: how the primary particles are accelerated to these energies, and how the primaries get here through the 2.7K microwave background filling the Universe. In addition, the highest-energy events exhibit a surprising small-scale clustering on the celestial sky. An overview of the puzzles is presented, followed by a brief discussion of many of the models proposed to solve these puzzles. Emphasis is placed on (i) the role neutrino primaries may play in resolving issues, and (ii) the signatures by which cosmic ray experiments in the near future will discriminate among the proposed models. It is an exciting prospect that highest-energy cosmic rays may have already presented us with new physics not accessible in terrestrial accelerator searches.
Electron Beam Recording of Digital Information

An electron recording system for a high density read-only photographic memory has been developed. The information has been recorded at speeds up to 106 bits/sec with a stotage density of 106 bits/cm2. After processing, the information can be read back optically at 106 bits/sec. The high recording speed given by the electron beam technique makes it possible to extend the use of photographic memories to systems requiring frequent updating or systems with capacities of more than 108 bits.
Interval estimation of the risk difference in non‐compliance randomized trials with repeated binary measurements

In a randomized clinical trial (RCT), we often encounter non-compliance with the treatment protocol for a subset of patients. The intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis is probably the most commonly used method in a RCT with non-compliance. However, the ITT analysis estimates ‘the programmatic effectiveness’ rather than ‘the biological efficacy’. In this paper, we focus attention on the latter index and consider use of the risk difference (RD) to measure the effect of a treatment. Based on a simple additive risk model proposed elsewhere, we develop four asymptotic interval estimators of the RD for repeated binary measurements in a RCT with non-compliance. We apply Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate and compare the finite-sample performance of these interval estimators in a variety of situations. We find that all interval estimators considered here can perform well with respect to the coverage probability. We further find that the interval estimator using a tanh−1(x) transformation is probably more precise than the others, while the interval estimator derived from a randomization-based approach may cause a slight loss of precision. When the number of patients per treatment is large and the probability of compliance to an assigned treatment is high, we find that all interval estimators discussed here are essentially equivalent. Finally, we illustrate use of these interval estimators with data simulated from a trial of using macrophage colony-stimulating factor to reduce febrile neutropenia incidence in acute myeloid leukaemia patients. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mesenteric cyst with atypical computed tomography appearance

A case of mesenteric chylous cyst containing an unusual fluid-fluid level demonstrated on computed tomography but not on ultrasonography is presented.
Avoiding collapse: Pre-European sustainability on Pacific Islands

Both geography and cultural practices were important in guiding the ecological histories of Pacific Islands. This paper focuses on cases where cultural adaptation was the key to sustainability on small islands prone to deforestation. Environmental conditions including small island size and low rainfall required Polynesians to adapt their cultures and in some cases abandon the traditional reliance on shifting cultivation seen in the western Pacific. Successful adaptations involved avoiding agricultural strategies associated with fire while shifting to a reliance on irrigated pondfields or arboriculture. Easter Island, which suffered severe deforestation, is different from most other Pacific Islands because its environment is particularly fragile and there was no option for either irrigated agriculture or arboriculture.
In situ deposition behavior of silica-based layers and its effect on thermal degradation of IN713 turbine blades during operation of a micro-gas turbine

Abstract This study examined the in situ deposition behavior of silica-based layers on IN713 turbine blades during the operation of a 13 kgf-class gas turbine at a rotation speed of 20,000/min as well as its effect on the degradation of the metallic substrate. Tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) was mixed with the fuel (liquid petroleum gas, LPG) and burned to generate silica-based coating precursors for deposition from the flame. Two deposition conditions were adopted. For condition 1 (C1), the silicon-to-carbon ratio in the mixed fuel was set at 0.1 mol% for the first 5 min and at zero mol% for the final 95 min in a 100-min operation. For condition 2 (C2), the ratio was set at 0.005 mol% during the entire 100 min operation. The total TEOS feed was the same under both conditions. C1 resulted in a rather uniform and thicker (5–10 μm on the pressure side) porous silica-based coating on the blade than C2. The in situ deposited layer of C1 was well preserved on the blade and protected the underlying metallic substrate from oxidation during the entire 100 min operation. The layer on the C2 blades was ∼5 μm thick at the region near to root, but was too thin in the other areas on the blade to be protective. The early build-up of a porous layer to an effective thickness on the blades produced a thermal barrier toward the substrate as well as a diffusion barrier toward the oxidizing elements during operation.
Seasonal phenology and impact of Urophora sirunaseva on yellow starthistle seed production in California.

The gall fly, Urophora sirunaseva, is one of six insect species released as classical biological control agents to control the invasive weed, yellow starthistle. Two study sites were established in Northern California to evaluate the per capita impact of galls on seed production. Evaluations during two years at each site used small cloth bags placed over developing seedheads to contain developing seeds and insects. Larger seedheads produced more seed but also supported more galls. Within-seedhead gall densities as high as 15 were detected. The impact of a single gall was estimated to reduce seed number by between 2.1–2.9 seeds per gall. A regression model was developed that estimated percentage seed loss as a function of seedhead size and number of galls. Individual galls were estimated to cause a 5–11% decrease in seed production compared to ungalled seedheads. The impact of the gall fly was greatest in smaller seedheads at both sites. Gall densities did not reach levels needed to exert significant control of seed production. Seed production in non-galled seedheads was not affected by the presence of galls in seedheads elsewhere on the plant. Gall flies were more likely to attack plants already supporting galls. Two generations of the fly were detected at both sites. The occurrence of overwintering larvae began in mid- to late-July depending on site. By early-August, all new galls held only overwintering larvae. Follow-up samples at one location eight years later showed the gall fly still present but at less than half of the population level observed earlier.
Physical response of a karst drainage basin to flood pulses: example of the Devil's Icebox cave system (Missouri, USA)

Abstract In karst aquifers, water moves from the recharge area (sinkhole plains and swallets) to the discharge area (springs), traveling kilometers through the groundwater system in a period of hours to days. Transit times through karst aquifers are a function of the conduit geometry and connectedness, intensity and duration of the recharge event, and antecedent soil moisture. Often many of these factors are unknown or difficult to quantify. Therefore, predicting the response of a karst basin to recharge is difficult. Numerous researchers have attempted to understand the response of a karst basin, but a good understanding of whether the response is dependent on local features or regional effects is currently lacking. From April 1994 to May 1995, flood pulse hydrographs from a karst aquifer with well-developed and well-documented conduits (Devil's Icebox cave system) were obtained from a gaging station near the spring of the karst basin. Data were also collected from within the conduit system in an attempt to determine whether flow was locally controlled by constrictions in the conduits. Based on an application of Bernoulli's equation, analyses of the changes in kinetic head and potential head over time indicated local control during storm events. The observed sediment patterns and water level variations also support localized flow control during storm events. A numerical model of the constrictions was tested and reproduced the responses observed at the spring during initial periods of storm events. The model illustrated that the constricted flow was very sensitive to recharge. It also illustrated the transition from local control due to constriction to regional controls due to the aquifer matrix.
Liquid chromatography of hydrocarbonaceous quaternary amines on cyclodextrin-bonded silica

Abstract Mixtures of n -alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride ( ABDAC ) were resolved into homologous components by high-performance liquid chromatography ( HPLC ) with a cyclodextrin-bonded silica stationary phase. With a few exceptions, results from this study are similar to those obtained from traditional reversed-phase HPLC . It was found that the presence of electrolytes in aqueous mobile phases is not a critical factor in determining the success of HPLC separation. Under normal HPLC conditions, a mobile phase consisting of either methanol—water (50:50) or acetonitrile—water (30:70) was employed for obtaining adequate resolution of the quaternary ammonium mixtures. Although the percent organic modifier—water profiles were similar to those in previous studies with these compounds, resolution ( R ) and selectivity (α) parameters were found to be quite susceptible to changes in the mobile phase solvent composition. The retention behavior of the cationic analytes in the homologous series is consistent with the hydrophobic-interaction concept proposed for the retention mechanism via dominant inclusion complex formation. Several electolytes were chosen for a study of the counter ion effect on the chromatographic characteristics of ABDAC components. Among the electrolytes examined, the perchlorate ion was found most likely to act as an ion-pairing counter ion for ammonium cations in the HPLC system studied. A correlation study established linear relationships between the chain length of ABDAC and the logarithmic capacity factor ( k ′). The analytical utility of the HPLC method was demonstrated by the analysis of various unknown mixtures.
Frequency, not relative abundance, of temperate tree species varies along climate gradients in eastern North America.

There have been many attempts to model the impacts of climate change on the distributions of temperate tree species, but empirical analyses of the effects of climate on the distribution and abundance of tree species have lagged far behind the models. Here, we used forest inventory data to characterize variation in adult tree abundance along climate gradients for the 24 most common tree species in the northeastern United States. The two components of our measure of species abundance—local frequency vs. relative abundance—showed dramatically different patterns of variation along gradients of mean annual temperature and precipitation. Local frequency (i.e., the percentage of plots in a given climate in which a species occurred) varied strongly for all 24 species, particularly as a function of temperature. Relative abundance when present in a plot, on the other hand, was effectively constant for most species right up to their estimated climatic range limits. Although the range limits for both temperature and precipitation were quite broad for all of the species, the range of climates within which a species was common (i.e., high frequency) was much narrower. Because frequency in sites within a given climate shows a strong sensitivity to temperature, at least, this suggests that the processes determining canopy tree recruitment on new sites also vary strongly with climate.
A modified dexamethasone suppression test for endogenous depression

In order to simplify the dexamethasone suppression test (DST), we have administered a lower dosage of dexamethasone (DEX) and shortened the sampling time to a single morning blood sample. DEX (in dosage increments from 0.125 to 1.0 mg, p.o.) was administered at 2300 h to normal volunteers in a double-blind randomized fashion, and blood samples were taken at 0700 h the following morning. While significant cortisol suppression occurred after the 0.375 mg, 0.5 mg, and 1.0 mg doses of DEX, the 0.5 mg dose was the smallest that clearly suppressed cortisol in all eight subjects. This dose then was used to test the feedback sensitivity of the central nervous system (CNS)-pituitary-adrenal axis in endogenously depressed patients. Twenty endogenously depressed patients and 20 normal volunteers were given both the standard 1.0 mg DST, with post-DEX serum cortisol determined at 1500 h, and the simplified 0.5 mg DST, with post-DEX serum cortisol determined at 0700 h. Four patients (20%) and one control (5%) were nonsuppressors after the 1.0 mg DST, and nine patients (45%) and one control (5%) were nonsuppressors after the 0.5 mg DST. In addition, nine patients with major depression (nonendogenous subtype) and 15 patients with panic attacks also were studied using the 0.5 mg DST. Only 2 of these 24 patients (8%) were nonsuppressors. The results suggest that the single-sample 0.5 mg DST is more sensitive than the standard 1.0 mg DST, and the specificity of the modified test appears comparable to the standard form of the test.
Mechanism of cell death during warm hepatic ischemia-reperfusion in rats: apoptosis or necrosis?

Reperfusion injury can cause liver dysfunction after cold storage and warm ischemia. Recently it has been suggested that more than 50% of hepatocytes and sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) are undergoing apoptosis during the first 24 hours of reperfusion. The aim of our study was to quantify apoptotic and necrotic hepatocytes and apoptotic SEC after 60 or 120 minutes of warm, partial no-flow ischemia and 0 to 24 hours reperfusion in male SD rats. Apoptotic cells were identified by TUNEL assay in combination with morphological criteria. After 60 minutes of ischemia and 1 hour of reperfusion there was a significant increase of apoptotic hepatocytes (0.7 ± 0.1% vs. 0.3 ± 0.1% in controls) and SEC (1.5 ± 0.6% vs. 0.3 ± 0.1% in controls). The number of apoptotic SEC and hepatocytes was not different from controls at 6 hours or 24 hours of reperfusion. In contrast, the number of necrotic hepatocytes was quantified as 12 ± 2% at 1 hour, 34 ± 6% at 6 hours, and 57 ± 11% at 24 hours. These results correlated with the increase in plasma ALT levels at these time points. Longer (120 min) ischemia times did not affect the number of apoptotic cells but increased hepatocellular necrosis to 58 ± 4% at 6 hours reperfusion. No significant increase in caspase-3 activity and processing was detectable in any of these livers. Moreover, the caspase inhibitor Z-Asp-cmk (2 mg/kg IV) had no significant effect on reperfusion injury. Our results suggest that only a small minority of SEC and hepatocytes undergo apoptosis after 60 to 120 minutes of warm ischemia followed by 0 to 24 hours of reperfusion. Oncotic necrosis appears to be the principal mechanism of cell death for both cell types.
Climate Impact of Late Quaternary Equatorial Pacific Sea Surface Temperature Variations

Magnesium/calcium data from planktonic foraminifera in equatorial Pacific sediment cores demonstrate that tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were 2.8° ± 0.7°C colder than the present at the last glacial maximum. Glacial-interglacial temperature differences as great as 5°C are observed over the last 450 thousand years. Changes in SST coincide with changes in Antarctic air temperature and precede changes in continental ice volume by about 3 thousand years, suggesting that tropical cooling played a major role in driving ice-age climate. Comparison of SST estimates from eastern and western sites indicates that the equatorial Pacific zonal SST gradient was similar or somewhat larger during glacial episodes. Extraction of a salinity proxy from the magnesium/calcium and oxygen isotope data indicates that transport of water vapor into the western Pacific was enhanced during glacial episodes.
Reduced protein adsorption and platelet adhesion by controlled variation of oligomaltose surfactant polymer coatings.

A series of oligomaltose surfactant polymers were prepared by the simultaneous coupling of hydrophilic maltonolactone [of 2 (M2), 7 (M7), or 15 (M15) glucose units] and hydrophobic N-(hexanoyloxy)succinimide (Hex) groups to the amino groups of a poly(vinyl amine) backbone. The surfactants were characterized by FTIR and 1H-NMR spectroscopies for purity and composition. Contact-angle and AFM measurements confirmed full monolayer adsorption for all surfactants on a model surface, highly oriented pyrolytic graphite, while full coverage was observed on polyethylene only for PVAm (M7:Hex) due to the optimal M7:Hex ratio and Hex chain density. On graphite, protein resistance increased with increasing coating thickness from 81.4 to 85.8 to 95.8% for the M2, M7, and M15 surfactants, respectively. Additionally, static platelet adhesion on all three surfactants dropped substantially to 15% (M2), 17% (M7), and 16% (M15) compared to glass (adhesion normalized to 100%) and a polyurethane (24%) surface. Protein- and platelet-resistant properties of the controlled oligomaltose layers are discussed by analysis of molecular modeling, oligomaltose and hexanoyl chain densities, and surfactant stability. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 56: 159–167, 2001
Larynx preservation trials: A critical appraisal

Controlled trials testing the concept of laryngeal preservation for patients with locally advanced stage III and IV cancers of the larynx or hypopharynx were initiated in the mid-1980s. Three randomized trials, evaluating the same cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil induction chemotherapy regimen and conventional radiotherapy compared with surgery and radiotherapy, have been completed, and the results of two are published. In addition, a meta-analysis of these three trials was completed. The studies are critically reviewed. Conclusions from these trials are that the induction approach is feasible; local and regional control are not improved, whereas distant metastases are delayed; there is no evidence of a difference in overall survival; and of the patients alive at 3 and 5 years, a functional larynx can be preserved in 67% and 58%; there are not enough data to know if there are differences in outcome by subsite. Several unanswered questions are being addressed in phase III trials. These include defining the precise contribution of chemotherapy by comparing induction chemotherapy and radiotherapy to treatment with radiotherapy alone; determining if elective neck dissection for patients with N2N3 neck disease would improve survival; and determining whether local control can be improved by using concomitant or alternating chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
THERMOCAPILLARY CONVECTION IN A SPHERICAL CONTAINER DUE TO A STATIONARY BUBBLE

We analyze the velocity and temperature fields at steady state due to thermocapillary convection around a gas bubble that is stationary in a liquid present in a spherical container. The bubble is assumed to be located concentrically within the container. The temperature distribution on the container wall is such that the temperature field in the liquid in the absence of the bubble is linear. Our interest is in the effect of convective transport of energy on the velocity and temperature fields. We assume that buoyant convection is negligible. The relevant Reynolds and Marangoni numbers are assumed to be small compared with unity. When the size of the container is large compared with the size of the bubble, the situation may be considered an approximation to the case of a stationary bubble in an unbounded liquid. In this case, when the Reynolds and Marangoni numbers are set equal to zero, the velocity field far from the bubble decays inversely with distance from it. It can be shown that this behavior of the velocity field, coupled with the linear variation of the imposed temperature far away from the bubble, leads to an ill-posedness in the problem for the perturbation temperature field for small Marangoni numbers, when the Reynolds number is zero. When the size of the container is finite, we show that the ill-posedness disappears. We obtain a perturbation temperature field that satisfies all the boundary conditions, when the Marangoni number is small compared with unity, in contrast with the case in which the bubble is present in a liquid of unbounded extent.
Perspective: Björn Roos and direct configuration interaction

The introduction, impact, and development of the direct configuration interaction (CI) approach are reviewed. The removal of the limitation on the size of CI calculation by eliminating the need to store the Hamiltonian matrix and the streamlining of the calculation of the eigenvector updates in each iteration are seen to be the key transformative contributions of this approach. The initial introduction, limited to closed-shell single-reference CISD (CI with single and double excitations) calculations, underwent successive generalizations, culminating in procedures based on the graphical unitary group approach, allowing applications to multireference CISD calculations for any electronic state. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 111:3263–3266, 2010
Dislocation mechanisms in olivine and flow in the upper mantle

Abstract The mechanisms of crystal slip in olivine in peridotite xenoliths from alkalic basalts have been investigated by high-voltage (up to 1 MeV) electron petrography. The microstructures were correlated with optical petrographic examination and compared with peridotite specimens deformed in the laboratory at high temperatures and pressures. The dislocation structures evident in the specimens deformed experimentally at the highest temperatures studied are indistinguishable from those in the naturally deformed rocks. Slip within the olivine crystals occurs by propagation of unit dislocations on the system {Ok1} [100] and, accompanying this process, edge components of the dislocation loops climb into kink-band walls parallel to (100) and the screw components cross-slip into walls parallel to (001), leading to the development of prismatic subgrains elongated parallel to [010]. New, recrystallized, grains exhibit these same substructural features, indicating that recrystallization in the mantle accompanies rather than succeeds deformation. It is concluded that dislocation climb is the probable rate-controlling factor in flow of olivine in the mantle.
The crystal structure of the three‐iron ferredoxin II from Desulfovibrio gigas

The crystal structure of oxidized ferredoxin II from the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio gigas has been determined and refined at 1.7 A resolution. The folding of the polypeptide chain is similar to that of the 2[4Fe-4S] ferredoxin in Peptococcus aerogenes, except for an extended helical segment near the C-terminus. The single [3Fe-4S] cluster in D. gigas is similar to a [4Fe-4S] cluster, but lacks one Fe atom and is coordinated to Cys-8, -14 and -50. The side chain of Cys-11 is not bound to the cluster, but is rotated toward the solvent and modified by some, as yet undetermined, chemical group. Cys-18 and Cys-42 form a disulfide bridge. A previously undetected extra amino acid is found after residue 55.
Sensitivity analysis for cocoercively monotone variational inclusions and (A,η)-maximal monotonicity

Sensitivity analysis for cocoercively monotone variational inclusions based on the generalized resolvent operator technique is discussed. The notion of the cocoercive monotonicity unifies most of the existing notions, such as cocoercivity, strong monotonicity, relaxed monotonicity, relaxed cocoercivity, and others. As a result, the obtained results are general in nature.
Diversity of phosphoinositide signaling

Phosphoinositide phospholipids are key membrane signals that activate intrinsic membrane proteins and are loose anchor points for peripheral membrane proteins. They are also precursors for numerous second messengers. This essay reviews historical development, current opinions, and future questions about phosphoinositide signaling.