cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Action and Interaction in the Mycorrhizal Hyphosphere — a Re-evaluation of the Role of Mycorrhizas in Nutrient Acquisition and Plant Ecology

The vast majority of terrestrial plants form symbiotic mycorrhizal associations with fungi, supporting the view that, in many ecosystems, mycorrhizas, not roots, are the chief organs of nutrient uptake. The underground organs of a wide range of extant lower land plants also form associations with fungi (Read et al. 2000), forming structures analogous to those found in higher plants. These observations, together with palaeobotanical (Nicolson 1975; Stubblefield et al. 1987a–c; Remy et al. 1994; Redecker et al. 2000) and molecular (Simon et al. 1993) evidence, suggest that the first land plants, which had no true roots, were colonised by mycorrhizal fungi belonging to the phylum Glomeromycota (Schusler et al. 2001). Colonisation of land, 400 ¥ 106 years ago, was thus probably by symbiotic organisms with fungal hyphal connections with the soil which could assist in the absorption of soil-derived nutrients. Mycorrhizal symbiosis thus occupies a central position in any consideration of plant nutrient acquisition from an ecological perspective. At one end of the theoretical spectrum, the mycorrhizal mycelium has been seen as having a purely quantitative effect on the uptake of nutrients already present in the soil solution, the mycelium augmenting the surface area of the root system and providing an additional, larger and more finely distributed interface across which plant nutrients can be absorbed. The role of mycorrhizal mycelia as physical extensions of root systems is discussed in Section 9.2, together with a brief consideration of factors controlling root colonisation and hyphal growth. Since the water status of soil can have a profound effect on nutrient availability, the role of mycorrhizal mycelia in water uptake is also discussed in this section. The subject is dealt with rather superficially for reasons of space, and because there have been numerous
The Lateral Olfactory Tract, the Anterior Commissure, and Other Olfactory Connections

Although all complex organisms utilize multisensory input to monitor the external environment, each species appears to have one system which is predominantly used. For man and most avian species, the dominant sensory system is vision. For rats and many other species of rodents, the dominant sensory system is olfaction. It is necessary to consider the olfactory system in some detail not only because it represents the primary source of sensory input for the rat, but also because of its close interrelationship with the structures of the limbic system; the notion that the primary function of the limbic system (rhinencephalon) was to process olfactory information is also of historical importance (cf. Chapter 1 and Brodai, 1947).
Assessing the efficiencies of alternative best management practices to reduce non-point source pollution for a sub-watershed in Louisiana, USA

Alternative best management practices applied in an agricultural context are evaluated for cost effectiveness in a sub watershed in Northern Louisiana A GIS based watershed simulation model is coupled with a linear programming model to assess nine Best Management Practices BMPs based on implementation cost and phosphorus reduction The optimization model is conducted at varying target phosphorus reduction levels revealing the most cost effective combination of BMPs to achieve that level of reduction At lower levels of phosphorus reduction nutrient management is the most cost effective BMP As phosphorus reduction targets increase a combination of several BMPs is needed to achieve target reductions
Pressure Hull Optimization Using General Instability Equations Admitting More than One Longitudinal Buckling Half-Wave,

Abstract : An improved method for predicting general instability admitting more than one longitudinal half-wave is adapted to an automated optimal design precedure described in NCE Reports NV5 and NV6. The original procedure assumes that the critical buckling shape contains only one longitudinal half-wave. This assumption is incorrect when ultra-high strength steels are used if what appears to be a questionable independent frame buckling constraint, used in the original design procedure, is relaxed. Design studies demonstrate that substantial weight benefits are possible at conventional operating depths (around 1,000 feet) if ultra-high strength steels are utilized and the new design equations are employed. Little weight improvement results from the use of high strength steels using the original design procedure. (Author)
Effects of permeability and viscosity in linear polymeric gels

We propose and analyze a mathematical model of the mechanics of gels, consisting of the laws of balance of mass and linear momentum of the polymer and liquid components of the gel. We consider a gel to be an immiscible and incompressible mixture of a nonlinearly elastic polymer and a fluid. The problems that we study are motivated by predictions of the life cycle of body-implantable medical devices. Scaling arguments suggest neglecting inertia terms, and therefore, we consider the quasi-static approximation to the dynamics. We focus on the linearized system about stress-free states, uniform expansions, and compressions and derive sufficient conditions for the solvability of the time-dependent problems. These turn out to be conditions that guarantee local stability of the equilibrium solutions. We also consider non-stress free equilibria and states with residual stress and derive an energy law for the corresponding time-dependent system. The conditions that guarantee stability of solutions provide a selection criteria of the material parameters of devices. The boundary conditions that we consider are of two types, displacement-traction and permeability of the gel surface to the fluid. We address the cases of viscous and inviscid solvent, assume Newtonian dissipation for the polymer component, and establish existence of weak solutions for the different boundary permeability conditions and viscosity assumptions. We present two-dimensional, finite element numerical simulations to study stress concentration on edges, this being the precursor to debonding of the gel from its substrate. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Resilient Output Containment of Heterogeneous Cooperative and Adversarial Multigroup Systems

This note introduces a new concept of cooperative and adversarial multigroup system, which consists of cooperative leaders and followers, as well as adversaries. For example, cooperation of multiple military vehicles operate in complex dynamic networked environments with unknown enemies and hidden malicious attackers. The lack of global situational awareness in distributed settings makes autonomous vehicles prone to cyberattacks and infiltration. Each agent is unaware of the motives of its neighbors and may receive information/data from both the teammates and the adversaries. Secure and resilient control protocols are essential for the networked multigroup systems to prevent the adversaries’ attacks from propagating across the network, which may influence the system performance and even overall stability. To counter sensor faults and attacks from the adversaries, a distributed resilient control architecture is proposed, which guarantees uniform ultimate boundedness of the closed-loop dynamical system. Numerical simulations illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed results.
Sense of Community in an Online Graduate Program.

A sense of community among learners is recognized as contributing to positive student outcomes. Synchronous learning opportunities may serve as one way to create a sense of community among online learners. Findings are shared from a mixed-method study that examined the impact of synchronous discussion sessions on students’ sense of community, as well as additional factors to consider when creating a sense of community. Cultivating trusting relationships by providing students with multiple opportunities for authentic, spontaneous, supportive discussion with people they know well emerged as central to fostering a sense of community. Implications for online learning in higher education and future research needs are discussed.
Impact of buckwheat and methyl salicylate lures on natural enemy abundance for early season management of Melanaphis sacchari (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in sweet sorghum

Abstract Early in the growing season when pest densities are low, crop environments are often unattractive to natural enemies. A combination of flowering plants providing food and alternate prey and herbivore induced plant volatiles (HIPV) may attract and retain natural enemies in crops. Melanaphis sacchari Zehntner (Hemiptera: Aphididae), a new pest of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), causes significant yield loss if left unmanaged. In a three-year field study, we tested the extent to which buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) border strips and lures containing the HIPV methyl salicylate attracted natural enemies prior to and during M. sacchari establishment in sweet sorghum plots. Natural enemies were surveyed weekly within the sweet sorghum (visual counts and yellow sticky cards) and in buckwheat border strips outside the plots (vacuum sampling). M. sacchari visual counts and natural enemy surveys were performed until harvest. Within buckwheat border strips, natural enemies were more abundant relative to non-buckwheat border strips. However, the increase in buckwheat borders did not increase natural enemies within sweet sorghum plots. In addition, the most abundant natural enemies within sweet sorghum (Coccinellidae) were uncommon in buckwheat strips. Methyl salicylate did not impact natural enemies in sweet sorghum border strips. M. sacchari populations and sweet sorghum yields were not affected by treatments. Other methods of increasing natural enemies will need to be explored to enhance early season management of M. sacchari in sweet sorghum fields.
Geographies of production II: Thinking through the state:

As corporate power strains the liberal hegemony that has stabilized the globalization project, it is no wonder that scholars of global production are increasingly turning their attention to the rol...
FAZ27 cooperates with FLAM3 and ClpGM6 to maintain cell morphology in Trypanosoma brucei.

The human parasite Trypanosoma brucei transitions from the trypomastigote form to the epimastigote form in the insect vector by re-positioning its mitochondrial genome and flagellum-associated cytoskeleton. The molecular mechanisms underlying such morphology changes remain elusive, but recent works demonstrated the involvement of three flagellar proteins, FLAM3, ClpGM6, and KIN-E, in this process by controlling the elongation of the flagellum attachment zone (FAZ). In this report, we identified a FAZ flagellum domain-localizing protein named FAZ27 and characterized its role in cell morphogenesis. Depletion of FAZ27 in the trypomastigote form caused major morphology changes and re-positioning of the mitochondrial genome and flagellum-associated cytoskeleton, generating epimastigote-like cells. Further, proximity biotinylation and co-immunoprecipitation identified FLAM3 and ClpGM6 as FAZ27-interacting proteins, and analyses of the functional interplay revealed their interdependency for assembly. Finally, we showed that assembly of FAZ27 occurred proximally, identical to the assembly pattern of other FAZ sub-domain proteins. Together, these results demonstrate a crucial role of the FAZ flagellum domain in controlling cell morphogenesis and suggest a coordinated assembly of all the FAZ sub-domains at the proximal end of the FAZ.
Ambivalence: A philosophical exploration: by Hili Razinsky, London, Rowman & Littlefield, 2017, 296 pp., $85.00 (hbk), ISBN 1786601524

In Ambivalence: A Philosophical Exploration, Hili Razinsky leads readers on an encyclopedic tour through contemporary analytic philosophy, in an effort to demonstrate the coherence, rationality, ho...
Functional Relationships Between Branch and Stem Wood Density for Temperate Tree Species in North America

Wood density is strongly related to key aspects of tree physiological performance. While many studies have examined wood density in different parts of trees for a variety of reasons, there are very few studies that have compared within-tree density variation across many trees, of many species, drawn from a large geographic area. Here, a large data set representing trees of 78 species/genera in the Eastern United States was compiled and analyzed to explore branch to main stem wood basic density relationships. The expectation was that differences in stem versus branch wood density among trees would be due to both genetic constraints and plastic responses in wood properties, due to tree growth responses to external environments. The results show a wide tree-to-tree variation in average branch density, relative to main stem density. However, there was a general pattern for overstory tree species to have high tree branch density relative to stem density, at lower stem densities, and a declining branch to stem wood density ratio as stem density increased. Evergreen gymnosperms showed the strongest change in branch to stem wood density ratios over the range of stem wood densities and deciduous angiosperms the least; deciduous gymnosperms showed an intermediate pattern, but with generally higher branch- than stem- wood densities. More cold-hearty, shade-tolerant / drought-intolerant, evergreen gymnosperms, growing at higher latitudes, showed higher branch to stem density ratios than more shade-intolerant / drought tolerant evergreen gymnosperms growing at lower latitudes. Across all trees, canopy position had a significant influence on branch to stem density relationships, with higher branch to stem density ratios for canopy dominant trees and successively lower branch to stem density ratios for trees in successively inferior canopy positions (in terms of light availability). Understory tree species, which remain in the forest understory at maximum height, showed generally lower branch than stem densities over a wide range of stem densities. The results suggested that tradeoffs between mechanical safety and whole-tree hydraulic conductance are driving within-tree differences in wood density and highlighted the need for more detailed examinations of within-tree density variation at the whole-tree level.
Off-target effects of protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors on oncostatin M-treated human epidermal keratinocytes: the phosphatase targeting STAT1 remains unknown

Cytokine signaling in the epidermis has an important role in maintaining barrier function and is perturbed in pathological conditions. Environmental exposures, such as to metal compounds, are of interest for their potential contribution to skin disease. Present work explores the possibility that vanadate is a more effective protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor in human keratinocytes than previously observed in fibroblasts. It focuses on the state of phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) on tyrosine 701 upon treatment of cultured human keratinocytes with the cytokine oncostatin M, a cutaneous inflammatory mediator that is highly effective in suppressing several differentiation markers and in preserving proliferative potential of keratinocytes. Exposure to sodium vanadate in the medium greatly prolonged the phosphorylation of STAT1, but only at high concentration (>30 µM). Inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatases known to dephosphorylate STAT1 (SHP2, TCPTP, PTP1B) were ineffective in mimicking the action of vanadate. The irreversible protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor phenyl vinyl sulfonate alone induced STAT1 phosphorylation and appeared to induce its limited cleavage. It also inhibited cross-linked envelope formation, a characteristic step of keratinocyte terminal differentiation, likely due to its reaction with the active site cysteine of keratinocyte transglutaminase. Thus, the key protein tyrosine phosphatase responsible for STAT1 dephosphorylation remains to be identified, and an off-target effect of a potential inhibitor was revealed.
A Universal Block of Series Connected SiC MOSFETs Using Current Source Gate Driver

SiC MOSFET has superior switching performance over Si IGBT in terms of power loss and temperature characteristics. In order to significantly improve the efficiency and power density of medium voltage drive and high-power converters, this paper proposes a current source gate driver for series connected SiC MOSFETs, forming a universal block of series connected SiC devices with higher voltage rating. Proposed current source gate driver has better gate voltage synchronization performance because of its constant gate current and novel gate driver structure. By implementing synchronized gate voltages, the snubber circuit is designed only for power loop difference, gate displacement current difference, and the snubber can be minimized or even be eliminated. The proposed block has been verified by LTSPICE simulations and multi-pulse test experiments under 200kHz, 2kV, 0~60A condition using three 1.2kV/60A C2M0040120D SiC MOSFETs connected in series.
Geochemical reactions and alteration of pore architecture in saturated shale after injection of stimulation fluid

Abstract Pore architecture regulates fluid flow between unconventional shale reservoir and hydraulically-induced fractures. Imbibition of stimulation fluid may change this architecture and alter hydrocarbon flow. Hydrothermal experiments were conducted at reservoir conditions (125 °C, 45 MPa) to test two hypotheses: 1) Shale, not stimulation fluid, dominates the geochemistry of an unconventional reservoir containing formation water; and 2) Mineral dissolution and precipitation induced by stimulation fluid is transient and manifests across micro-, meso-, and macro-scales of pore architecture. Experiments replicated a shut-in well in the Cretaceous Baxter Shale, Green River Basin, Wyoming USA. Stimulation fluid was injected into one experiment after formation water (I = 0.35 mol/kg, pH = 6.4) and core reacted for 48 days. This novel approach equilibrated rock and formation water and saturated pores with formation water before introducing stimulation fluid. The second experiment served as a control. Trends of aqueous calcium, silica and aluminum in the injection experiment suggest transient dissolution of calcite and feldspar and/or quartz as well as clay and barite precipitation; mineralogic evidence was limited to calcite dissolution and barite precipitation. The rock maintained reducing conditions (Eh = +0.08 to −0.16 V) despite injection of oxidizing stimulation fluid (Eh = 1.1 V). pH of the stimulation fluid-formation water mixture evolved from 2.3 to pre-injection values (~6) within 24 h. Results indicate that mineral dissolution and precipitation manifest in macropores with barely detectable alteration to micro- and mesopores. Formation water or organic matter in pores may have inhibited access of stimulation fluid to micro- and mesopores
Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy among Patients with COVID-19 and Acute Kidney Injury.

Background and objectives Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication among patients with COVID-19 and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Reports suggest that COVID-19 confers a pro-thrombotic state, which presents challenges in maintaining hemofilter patency and delivering continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). We present our initial experience with CRRT in critically ill patients with COVID-19, emphasizing circuit patency and the association between fluid balance during CRRT and respiratory parameters. Design, setting, participants, and measurements Retrospective chart review of 32 consecutive patients with COVID-19 and AKI managed with continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration with regional citrate anticoagulation (CVVHDF-RCA) according to the University of Michigan protocol. Primary outcome was mean CRRT circuit life per patient during the first 7 days of CRRT. We used simple linear regression to assess the relationship between patient characteristics and filter life. We also explored the relationship between fluid balance on CRRT and respiratory parameters using repeated measures modeling. Results Patients' mean age was 54.8 years and majority were Black (75%). Comorbidities included hypertension (90.6%), obesity (70.9%) diabetes (56.2%), and chronic kidney disease (40.6%). Median CRRT circuit life was 53.5 [interquartile range 39.1-77.6] hours. There was no association between circuit life and inflammatory or pro-thrombotic laboratory values (ferritin p = 0.92, C-reactive protein p = 0.29, D-dimer p = 0.24), or with systemic anticoagulation (p = 0.37). Net daily fluid removal during the first 7 days of CRRT was not associated with daily (closest recorded values to 20:00) PaO2/FIO2 ratio (p = 0.21) or positive end-expiratory pressure requirements (p = 0.47). Conclusions We achieved adequate CRRT circuit life in COVID-19 patients using an established CVVHDF-RCA protocol. During the first 7 days of CRRT therapy, cumulative fluid balance was not associated with improvements in respiratory parameters, even after accounting for baseline fluid balance.
The Universal Banking System in the Federal Republic of Germany

In the Federal Republic of Germany most credit institutions engage in practically all types of business typical of commercial and investment banks, and are therefore known as universal banks. This combination of operations stands in contrast to the American "divided system". The prototypical universal bank offers at the minimum deposit and credit operations as well as all forms of securities transactions (issuance, brokerage, and securities deposit); indeed the scope of activity of German universal banks often extends beyond these operations to include practically all elements of banking business. The banking system of the Federal Republic of Germany as a whole is not, however, purely universal; although a majority of the banks in the system are universal banks, there are a number of specialized banks as well.
MindTree: A Community of Communities

MindTree is a mid-sized Indian IT services company known for its knowledge management practices, its collaborative communities, and its strong culture and values. The CEO has set a goal of becoming a $1 billion company by 2014; to reach that goal, employees must create several new businesses. The head of knowledge management must decide how his function should change in order to become more supportive of innovation and new business development. Learning Objective: The aim of this case is to introduce students to a set of highly effective knowledge management practices, built around communities of practice, and to show how they have been created and implemented. The case also shows students the power of organizational culture and values, and how leadership activities and HR policies can support a culture of collaboration, openness, and employee development and learning.
Cones to Aid Decision Making in Multicriteria Programming

Theoretical and applied aspects of using convex polyhedral cones in multicriteria programming and decision making are explored. Pointed and non-pointed cones are examined and applications of pointed cones to model decision maker’s preferences in bicriteria programming are presented.
Describing Electronic, Digital, and Other Media Using AACR2 and RDA: A How-To-Do-It Manual® and CD-ROM for Librarians

This title is the third incarnation of an essential reference tool for catalogers, Cataloging Nonbook Materials, first published in 1993.1 The original text, by Mary Beth Fecko (now Weber), extensi...
The implications of widening for third countries

Because the European Union (EU) has sought from its earliest history to accommodate nonmember countries through various preferential arrangements, the further expansion toward the eastern part of Europe is bound to affect the benefits that partners in these preferential arrangements can count on. The effects of entering transition economies (TEs) can be direct, as a result of the TE obtaining access to the four freedoms of the EU. But they can also be indirect, resulting from the way enlargement alters the calculus of EU benefits and costs for present EU members. This paper examines the various preferential arrangements and the major effects that are likely to be experienced by them as a result of the eastward extension of the EU. Given the EU's foreign-policy objectives and the sizable changes that have occurred in Europe, the paper argues that it might now be the appropriate occasion to reexamine those preferential arrangements. The article pays special attention to the ramification of eastward expansion on TEs that will not now or ever qualify for EU membership, yet remain of strategic concern to the EU.
Dopamine receptor pharmacology

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the basic aspects of dopamine receptor pharmacology and biology. The dopamine receptors, members of the heptahelical G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily, are divided into two subfamilies: the ‘D1-like’ and ‘D2-like’. The chapter also discusses various animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD). Recently, there have been many attempts to develop Parkinson's relevant models using either in vitro or non-vertebrate systems. Presently, mammalian animal models are of greatest utility. Transgenic mouse models have been developed for the mouse homologs of most of the genes that have been identified in familial Parkinson's disease and these models have been extremely useful in learning about the role of these genes and their products in cellular function. The rat 6-hydroxydopamine models and other animal models (rotenone and ubiqutin protease inhibitors) are also reviewed. The D1-receptor can usually couple to increased synthesis of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). A compound that equals dopamine in its ability to increase cAMP production is called a “full agonist”, whereas a compound that only causes a fraction of the activity of dopamine, even at high concentrations, is called a partial agonist. An antagonist binds to the receptor, but causes no activation of its own. There are several factors—receptor reserve often being foremost—that can influence the behavior of a ligand (drug). In the Parkinson's arena, an in depth awareness of the characteristics of both current and experimental drugs can be particularly useful in understanding or predicting clinical responses.
Is Proof in Litigation Predictable

Are the workings of proof in litigation predictable? Is it possible to assess in an orderly way how decisions by participants in the process of proof affect the workings of that process?
Antibiotic Activity in the Presence of Agar

Agar has been shown to interfere with the activity of some antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus. This interference has been observed as an increase in the minimal inhibitory concentration and in the diameter of the zone of inhibition. Purifying the agar with water extractions substantially reduced this adverse effect.
Active transport of maltose in membrane vesicles obtained from Escherichia coli cells producing tethered maltose-binding protein.

Attempts to reconstitute periplasmic binding protein-dependent transport activity in membrane vesicles have often resulted in systems with poor and rather inconsistent activity, possibly because of the need to add a large excess of purified binding protein to the vesicles. We circumvented this difficulty by using a mutant which produces a precursor maltose-binding protein that is translocated across the cytoplasmic membrane but is not cleaved by the signal peptidase (J. D. Fikes and P. J. Bassford, Jr., J. Bacteriol. 169:2352-2359, 1987). The protein remains tethered to the cytoplasmic membrane, presumably through the hydrophobic signal sequence, and we show here that the spheroplasts and membrane vesicles prepared from this mutant catalyze active maltose transport without the addition of purified maltose-binding protein. In vesicles, the transport requires electron donors, such as ascorbate and phenazine methosulfate or D-lactate. However, inhibition by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and stimulation of transport by the inculsion of ADP or ATP in the intravesicular space suggest that ATP (or compounds derived from it) is involved in the energization of the transport. The transport activity of intact cells can be recovered without much inactivation in the vesicles, and their high activity and ease of preparation will be useful in studies of the mechanism of the binding protein-dependent transport process. Images
Hormonal and personal effects on estrogen receptors in breast cancer.

Since high estrogen receptor protein in breast cancer tissue has a favorable effect on patient prognosis factors influencing estrogen receptor levels are the focus of this research. Between April 1977-December 1978 246 histologically confirmed primary breast cancer patients from 3 North Carolina hospitals were interviewed and profided with photographic displays of hormonal products. Their tumor tissue was analyzed for estrogen receptor protein by the sucrose density gradient assay. Data were analyzed by multiple regression and logistic regression techniques. No statistically significant relationship was found between gonadal hormone usage and estrogen receptor levels although recent users of either oral contraceptives (OCS) or repplacement estrogens had lower receptor levels. Users of progestogen-predominant and intermediate types of OCs also had lower estrogen receptor protein. An effect of menopausalstatus independent of ae was not evident. Statistically significant associations involved age and race among postmenopausal patients. With black breast cancer patients aged 10 fmol/mg of cytosol protein) were 2.4 times greater among whites aged or= 70 and 12.8 times greater in whites >or= 70 years. These differences in estrogen receptor protein may contribute to the black-white differential in breast cancer survival. (authors modified)
Efficient energy harvesting of conjugated polymers by direct coordination to novel low-energy complexes of europium

Novel complexes based on a europium(III) core surrounded by three β-diketonate ligands were synthesized. The diketonates were synthesized by condensations of ethyl-2-pyrazinecarboxylate with various aromatic ketones. The metal centered emissions of the europium complexes as well as the ligand centered emission of the gadolinium complexes were studied. The complexes based on gadolinium were studied to establish the singlet and triplet energy levels of the ligands. These europium complexes were used to harvest energy from conjugated polymers. PPP-type polymers with bipyridine moieties and terpyridine pendant groups were studied initially. The europium complex attached to the bipyridine and terpyridine moieties facilitated energy transfer from polymer to europium. A novel class of polymers with a β-diketonate pendant group was synthesized and studied. Each of the polymers were synthesized via Suzuki coupling of 1,4-phenylbisboronic acid with a dibromoarenecarboxylate. Ethyl 3,5-dibromobenzoate was used in the polymerization to synthesize alternating copolymers of phenyl groups. These polymers were then reacted with 2-acetylthiophene to obtain polymers with β-diketonate pendant groups. The photophysics of these polymers and their lanthanide complexes were determined.
An observational analysis of argument structures: The case of Nightline

An observational analysis of selected Nightline program transcripts was undertaken to advance understanding of conversational arguments used in the service of public policy debate. Results indicate that Nightline discussions involved more compound structural variations, but fewer simple, convergent and eroded argument structures than had been found in previous research. In contrast to previous efforts, the development of prompter and delimitor argument structures was also identified. In addition, the program's moderator, Ted Koppel, used challenge structures as his primary method of proposing issues for debate. Discussion focuses on features of Nightline argument complexity and proposes directions for future research.
Effect of manganese on concentrations of Zn, Fe, Cu and B in different soybean genotypes

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of manganese on accumulation of Zn, Fe, Cu, and B by different soybean genotypes under varying soil pH conditions, in view of determining tolerance towards extremes in soil pH and mineral toxicities. Enon sandy loam soil was used for the investigation in a greenhouse. Manganese rates were 0, 10, and 20 kg/ha. The pH levels were 5.3, 6.3, and 7.0. The soybean genotypes tested were PI 159319, PI 324924, PI 960895, and L-76-0132. Results indicate that Zn concentration in the genotypes leaf and seed was not affected by Mn application whereas the Cu concentration in the leaf was affected. In general, there was an increase in concentration of Fe in the genotypes seed with Mn application. Boron concentration in the genotypes leaf and seed was unaffected by Mn application. The effect of soil pH on Zn, Fe, Cu, and B in the genotypes tissue was significant. This did not result in toxic levels of the elements in the tissues.
Superconducting fluctuations and the Peierls instability in an organic solid

Abstract The discovery of extraordinary conductivity maxima in a class of organic charge transfer salts is reported. The data are interpreted as resulting from superconducting fluctuations at high temperatures. A possible mechanism for achieving high temperature superconductivity is suggested based on the electron-phonon interaction, in the strong-coupling limit, and the Peierls soft-mode instability in pseudo-one-dimensional systems. Procedures are suggested for the possible eventual stabilization of the superconducting state.
Abstract 3248: PSMA specific imaging of prostate cancer

A peptide derivative of a prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) targeting ligand [Glu-C(O)-Glu] was designed to efficiently coordinate 99mTc. This chelate, referred to as EC0652, was found to bind cultured PSMA-positive LNCaP tumor cells in a concentration-dependent manner with very high affinity (Kd ∼ 20 nM). Its binding was reduced > 10 fold in the presence of the ligand competitor PMPA (a high affinity PSMA binder). In addition, this molecule did not bind to panel of PSMA negative cells (4T1, A549, IGR-OV1, J6456, KB, L1210 and M109), thereby demonstrating the agent9s PSMA-specific binding property. Following intravenous injection into nu/nu mice, 99mTc-EC0652 was rapidly cleared from circulation (and non-targeted tissues), and only 1.3% of the injected dose remained in the blood after 1 hour. Data from quantitative biodistribution studies confirmed that 99mTc-EC0652 predominantly accumulates in PSMA-positive subcutaneous LNCaP tumor and kidney (PSMA/glutamate carboxypeptidase positive) tissues. Net uptake in the tumor and kidney remained steady throughout the 8 h experiment resulting in a continued increase in tumor to background tissue radioactivity with time. Radioactive uptake in both of these tissues was reduced > 10 fold when this radiodiagnostic imaging agent was co-dosed with PMPA. The safety of decayed 99mTc-EC0652 was evaluated as a single intravenous dose in an acute toxicology study in male mice. All doses tested were well tolerated with no demonstrated toxicity. The study established a no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of 14.0 mg/kg, a dose which provides an appropriate safety margin relative to the FDA designated Phase 0 dose. Equipped with these encouraging results, preparations have begun for a Phase 0 clinical trial to evaluate 99mTc-EC0652 distribution in patients with metastatic prostate cancers. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3248.
Space‐Charge Dynamics of Liquids

The propagation and instability characteristics of small‐signal electro‐fluid‐mechanical space‐charge and polarization waves in nonhomogeneous fluids are developed. Stratified equilibrium configurations with fluid properties and space‐charge density constant within planar, cylindrical, and spherical surfaces, are emphasized. Equilibrium electric fields due both to charges in the fluid and to externally imposed potentials are normal to these surfaces. The liquid is modeled as incompressible, inviscid, and perfectly insulating, with domains of sufficiently high frequency or growth rate to validate the last assumption defined in terms of electrical conductivity or mobility. A general set of relations for perturbation field and flow variables on the perturbed surfaces of fluid layers having constant properties and space charge are derived in each of the configurations. A detailed description of wave dispersion and instability for interactions in the following situations exemplifies how these relations are used in representing a broad class of discretely stratified equilibria: (a) perfectly conducting interface stressed by normal field and bounded from above by fluid supporting uniform space charge; (b) two planar layers of differing properties and space charge; (c) uniformly charged liquid jet; and (d) uniformly charged liquid drop.
Pseudomonas abscess and empyema of the lung.

The combination of pulmonary abscess and empyema due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa is presented. Pseudomonas infections of the lungs frequently occur in patients with diminished host resistance, often receiving antibiotics or corticosteroids, and frequently in a hospital. The resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the more commonly used antibiotics as penicillin, tetracycline, Chloromycetin and kanamycin is known. These features are exemplified by the case reported. The empyema was managed with drainage, enzyme instillation into the pleura] space and appropriate systemic antibiotics. At autopsy the characteristic pathologic features of Pseudomonas infection were not found. Review of the world literature of Pseudomonas lung abscess and empyema shows their frequent occurrence in persons with underlying diseases, their poor response to medical treatment, and high mortality.
The validity and utility of the California Family Risk Assessment under practice conditions in the field: A prospective study

OBJECTIVE: Analysis of the validity and implementation of a child maltreatment actuarial risk assessment model, the California Family Risk Assessment (CFRA). QUESTIONS ADDRESSED: (1) Is there evidence of the validity of the CFRA under field operating conditions? (2) Do actuarial risk assessment results influence child welfare workers' service delivery decisions? (3) How frequently are CFRA risk scores overridden by child welfare workers? (4) Is there any difference in the predictive validity of CFRA risk assessments and clinical risk assessments by child welfare workers? METHOD: The study analyzes 7,685 child abuse/neglect reports originating in 5 California counties followed prospectively for 2 years to identify further substantiated child abuse/neglect. Measures of model calibration and discrimination were used to assess CFRA validity and compare its accuracy with the accuracy of clinical predictions made by child welfare workers. The extent of use of an override feature of the CFRA and child welfare worker reliance on CFRA risk scores for making service decisions were analyzed. RESULTS: Imperfect but better-than-chance predictive validity was found for the CFRA on a range of measures in a large temporal validation sample (n=6,543). For 114 cases where both CFRA risk assessments and child welfare worker clinical risk assessments were available, the CFRA exhibited evidence of imperfect but better-than-chance predictive validity, while child welfare worker risk assessments were found to be invalid. Child welfare workers overrode CFRA risk assessments in only 114 (1.5%) of 7,685 cases and provided in-home services in statistically significantly larger proportions of higher- versus lower-risk cases, consistent with heavy reliance on the CFRA. CONCLUSIONS/PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Until research identifies actuarial models exhibiting superior predictive validity when applied in every-day practice, the CFRA is, and will be a valuable tool for assessing risk in order to make in-home service-provision decisions. Language: en
Guarding the Borders or Blocking the Way? IAs to Be Banned

H ot on the heels of the Joint Conference on Digital Libraries in Houston in May – where there was not a mention of information architecture (more on this later) – I return to find an alarming message in one of the IA lists. Apparently the State of Ohio has decided that information architects should be banned, or at least renamed. Seems that the Board of Certification for architectural qualifications has a problem with the use of the term architecture in the IT sector since it might cause people to have erroneous expectations of the services IAs offer. I can just hear the jokes now! There is no offcial word yet on how they view cosmetics manufacturer L’Oreal’s use of the term lash architect, but no doubt some crusaders will get around to that eventually; after all, innocent people might get hurt. Now this really does open up a can of worms. If you look hard enough, the term architect is used in some very original ways. There’s PHP Architect*, a magazine for PHP professionals (there’s a group that needs a name change), interaction architects (splitters!), Spiral Architect (a band whose aim is, apparently, “controlled anarchy”) not to mention the more mundane but real job title couplings of chip architect, community architect, screen architect, digital architect, human resource architect, leadership architect, strategic architect...you get the picture. I mentioned this tempest in a teapot to the dean of the School of Architecture recently, and he was similarly bemused by the apparent concerns of the certifiers. But this is not new in the emerging professions. Software engineers, for instance, have had trouble for years with people telling them they were not “real” engineers, but it hasn’t lessened the demand or the use of the title. This battle has also raged in the HCI world where objections were raised to the title usability engineer, a term one still cannot easily use to describe a profession in Texas. Nothing personal, I always hated that term anyhow, but it strikes me as odd that people get upset by labels such as engineer and architect but pay little or no attention to the use of scientist which gets attached to the most unlikely fields of practice (but let’s not go there). Here’s hoping common sense prevails but what are the odds of that once the lawyers get involved? Perhaps the Ohio Board of Certifiers had already had a word with the ACM and IEEE Guarding the Borders or Blocking the Way? IAs to Be Banned!
Benign keratosis with a spectrum of follicular differentiation: a case series and investigation of a potential role of human papilloma virus.

Background: A variety of dermatopathologic entities are histologically defined by the presence of follicular differentiation. Follicular differentiation confined to the epidermis may follow induction from dermal mesenchymal proliferations, as in a nevus sebaceus of Jadassohn, or represent endogenous proliferations such as the tumor of the follicular infundibulum or trichilemmoma. Methods: We report on five cases of a histologically distinct form of benign keratosis showing variable follicular differentiation. Clinicopathologic correlation and analysis of a potential human papilloma virus pathogenesis was investigated. Results: Each of the cases arose on the trunk or extremities of three men and two women with a mean age at presentation of 66.6 years. All of the lesions showed variable follicular differentiation, with germinative basaloid cells, matrical cells with matrical keratinization, inner root sheath with trichohyalin granules, or glycogenated lower outer root sheath. Immunohistochemical staining for human papilloma virus was negative in each case. Conclusions: There exists a distinct entity, histologically defined as a keratosis with variable follicular differentiation, which has not been previously described. These lesions do not appear to be pathogenically related to human papilloma virus infection.
Household treatment for "chile burns" of the hands.

AbstractIn New Mexico, chile peppers (Capsicum annum) are prepared by roasting and manually removing the skin from the fruit. Peeling is often done barehanded and may cause prolonged burning pain, irritation, and erythema but not vesication. In a survey of elderly Hispanic women, treatment with oils or cool tap water were frequently used home remedies. Twenty female subjects immersed their hands in a standardized slurry of green chile for 40 minutes, afterwards one hand was placed in cool tap water and the other in vegetable oil for a total of 75 minutes. Pain was scored using a visual analog scale while the hands were immersed in the chile slurry, test baths, and after drying. The difference in pain score was calculated for each subject. Analysis was by pooled regression. Cool tap water immersion initially provided more relief while vegetable oil provided better long-term relief from the pain of “chile burns”.
The effects of oxidative stress on telomerase activity and other stress-related proteins in lens epithelial cells.

Abstract Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein complex responsible for maintaining the ends of chromosomes and for repair of DNA strand breaks. While telomerase activity is generally found in cells that have unlimited proliferative potential such as neoplastic cells, germline cells and some stem cells, lens epithelial cells (though not highly proliferative) have telomerase activity. Our previous studies indicated that lens epithelial cells express high levels of telomerase despite their low proliferative potential, thus we hypothesized that telomerase expression protects lens epithelial cells from oxidative stress. We also determined levels of the stress proteins gadd45 and p16 and the stress and proliferation-related protein, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). In acute studies, lenses were exposed to TBHP for 0–120 min. In recovery studies, lenses were exposed to TBHP for 1 hr, then allowed to recover for up to 18 hr. In acute studies, telomerase activity was increased, p16 initially decreased then normalized, PCNA levels did not change significantly even in the overnight recovery groups, and gadd45 was decreased in some TBHP exposed groups. In recovery studies, telomerase activity was increased in all groups, gadd45 decreased then became elevated, and p16 levels were decreased at later recovery times. PCNA levels remained constant during the studies, indicating that there was no change in proliferation. These studies showed that elevated telomerase activity did not correlate with increased proliferation in lens epithelial cells; instead, increased telomerase activity was associated with increased levels of the stress-related protein gadd45 only in the later recovery times. These findings support the hypothesis that telomerase plays a protective rather than a proliferative role in lens epithelial cells.
Preparation of a novel series of phosphonate norstatine renin inhibitors

Abstract Replacement of the C-terminal isopropyl ester in the orally active norstatine renin inhibitor terlakiren (1) with dialkyl phosphonate groups provided a novel series of phosphorus norstatine inhibitors 2. Cyclic phosphonate 2f (IC50 = 0.6 nM) was prepared in an attempt to overcome apparent steric limitations of the phosphonate binding pocket and was found to be equipotent to ester 1. Like the ester norstatines, the phosphonate inhibitors preferred nonpolar P2 residues.