cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of mechanical and electrical activation on the combustion synthesis of Al3Ti

Titanium aluminides have attracted immense interest as lightweight intermetallic compounds that pos- sess good high-temperature mechanical and corrosion properties. In the present work, titanium aluminides (Al3Ti) have been reactively processed from elemental powder using a combined mechanical and electrical activation approach. The effect of mechanical activation and electric current intensity on the ignition and phase development is discussed. Ignition was not possible when powders were milled for a short time, while prolonged milling resulted in mechanical activation that promoted a self-propagating- type reaction. The time to engulfment of the compact with the reaction wave was found to decrease with an increase in current intensity. A secondary reaction occurred at the higher current intensity, which in turn increased the prod- uct homogeneity.
Development and Environmental Challenges, Podocarpus National Park, Ecuador

Podocarpus National Park (PNP; 145,692 ha), established in 1982, is the only national park in southern Ecuador. It was established principally to protect Andean conifers, Podocarpus spp. In this introduction, first, we describe the methods that we used in our rapid appraisal of PNP. We detail our analytic perspective and the problem-oriented, contextual, and multi-method approach that we used. Second, we briefly describe PNP and its context. Our account of PNP management policy is a story about people who make up one large social process regarding how PNP will be used and who gets to decide. Within this social process, people are seeking values (e.g., well-being, wealth, respect) by using existing institutions and calling for new ones that use and affect resources in different ways. In this introduction we look at this social process, the idea of the “common interest,” and the need for management policy to help meet this goal. We also look at development and conservation as a decision-making process that ...
The bifunctional cell wall hydrolase CwlT is needed for conjugation of the integrative and conjugative element ICEBs1 in Bacillus subtilis and B. anthracis

The mobile genetic element ICEBs1 is an integrative and conjugative element (ICE) found in Bacillus subtilis. One of the ICEBs1 genes, cwlT, encodes a cell wall hydrolase with two catalytic domains, a muramidase and a peptidase. We found that cwlT is required for ICEBs1 conjugation. We examined the role of each of the two catalytic domains and found that the muramidase is essential, whereas the peptidase is partially dispensable for transfer of ICEBs1. We also found that the putative signal peptide in CwlT is required for CwlT to function in conjugation, consistent with the notion that CwlT is normally secreted from the cytoplasm. We found that alteration of the putative lipid attachment site on CwlT had no effect on its role in conjugation, indicating that if CwlT is a lipoprotein, the lipid attachment is not required for conjugation. Finally, we found conditions supporting efficient transfer of ICEBs1 into and out of Bacillus anthracis and that cwlT was needed for ICEBs1 to function in B. anthracis. The mature cell wall of B. anthracis is resistant to digestion by CwlT, indicating that CwlT might act during cell wall synthesis, before modifications of the peptidoglycan are complete.
Perception, Illusion, and Magic:

A little legerdemain can help you in teaching introductory, perception, and statistics courses, and you will be in good company.
A. L. (Bill) Epstein's Works on Affect and Emotions in Melanesia

Book reviewed in this article: A. L. Epstein. Gunantuna: Aspects of the Person, the Self and the Individual among the Tolai.
MHD Simulations of Magnetized Stars in the Propeller Regime of Accretion

Accreting magnetized stars may be in the propeller regime of disc accretion in which the angular velocity of the stellar magnetosphere exceeds that of the inner disc. In these systems, the stellar magnetosphere acts as a centrifugal barrier and inhibits matter accretion onto the rapidly rotating star. Instead, the matter accreting through the disc accumulates at the disc-magnetosphere interface where it picks up angular momentum and is ejected from the system as a wide-angled outflow which gradually collimates at larger distances from the star. If the ejection rate is lower than the accretion rate, the matter will accumulate at the boundary faster than it can be ejected; in this case, accretion onto the star proceeds through an episodic accretion instability in which the episodes of matter accumulation are followed by a brief episode of simultaneous ejection and accretion of matter onto the star. In addition to the matter dominated wind component, the propeller outflow also exhibits a well-collimated, magnetically-dominated Poynting jet which transports energy and angular momentum away from the star. The propeller mechanism may explain some of the weakly-collimated jets and winds observed around some T Tauri stars as well as the episodic variability present in their light curves. It may also explain some of the quasi-periodic variability observed in cataclysmic variables, millisecond pulsars and other magnetized stars.
Implementation of Social Policy Revisited

This article assesses the state of theory development in the study of social policy implementation and offers a political economy framework as a synthesis of current theory and research. The article reviews and classifies the major theoretical and empirical studies of implementation. On the basis of the review, a political economy model of implementation is developed, consisting of the following components: policy-making, policy instruments, critical actors, driving forces, service delivery system, and policy output. The policy output is measured by a correspondence index defined as the correspondence between eligible, processed, and served populations and between identified needs and services delivered. It is argued that policy output is determined by organizational systems which develop as a result of technological specifications, economic considerations, and power relations.
Winter Cover Crop and Management Effects on Summer and Annual Nutrient Yields

Effluent from a swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) lagoon is often applied repeatedly to nearby fields because of logistical constraints and costs of transportation. To minimize accumulation of soil nutrients and sustain use of spray field, best management practices must maximize the rates of removal of manure nutrients. Research determined summer hay and nutrient yields of bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] following winter cover crops ‘Kenland’ red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), ‘Bigbee’ berseem clover (T. alexandrinum L.), or ‘Marshall’ annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) subjected to five harvesting systems. Also, summer and winter forage yields were combined and analyzed to find best annual performance. Nutrient yields of bermudagrass were statistically affected by winter cover crop species and harvest date. Summer production was maximized following berseem clover harvested on a two-harvest-day system of 15 May and 1 June. Harvesting the winter cover crop in addition to the bermudagrass increased extraction of N (82%), P (76%), K (90%), Mg (95%), Mn (67%), Ca (158%), Fe (80%), Zn (83%), and Cu (97%). For environmentally sensitive nutrients N, P, Cu, and Zn, annual yields were maximized with a two-harvest-day system of 15 April and 1 June of a cover crop, which was not the best harvest system for either the winter or the summer trials in isolation. Tests on summer performance and winter performance in isolation were informative and did indicate the best winter cover crop species, berseem clover, but did not indicate the best management system for annual production.
Hierarchical adaptive and supervisory control of continuous venovenous hemofiltration

Continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) is a lifesaving renal replacement therapy used in clinical intensive care settings. Patients undergoing a life threatening illness often develop kidney failure. CVVH performs the blood filtering process while the kidneys recover. Hemofiltration devices which are currently available operate through open-loop fluid flows induced by peristaltic pumps, and possess precisions of /spl plusmn/30 ml of fluid removed per hour. This precision is inappropriate for a neonate, who can have a total blood volume of only 150 ml, and a 15 ml blood volume reduction could cause hypovolemic shock. Because of the patient risk involved in using such equipment, most medical centers measure the fluid removed from the patient on an hourly basis. This measurement step leads to a significant increase in nursing care and therefore increases the cost of the therapy. Presented in the paper is an intelligent CVVH system that deals with accuracy and cost issues while improving the care delivered by timely responding to changes in a patient's cardiovascular state. The intelligence aspect of the system is achieved through a hierarchical control architecture for CVVH. The control methodology uses a direct adaptive control scheme for the peristaltic pumps and a supervisory control algorithm for high-level decisions on the safe operation of the system. Adaptive control of the pumps results in improved accuracy of fluid flow, while the supervisory controller provides greater autonomy which reduces the burden on clinical personnel. The performance of the proposed hierarchical controller is illustrated by experiments on a hemofiltration machine using a simulated patient. These experimental simulations showed that the measured cumulative ultrafiltration after one hour of simulation was only 1.7 ml different from the target value, which is well within the acceptable medical range.
Effect of betaine supplementation on power performance and fatigue

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of 15 days of betaine supplementation on muscle endurance, power performance and rate of fatigue in active collegeaged men. Methods: Twenty-four male subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group (BET; 20.4 ± 1.3 years; height: 176.8 ± 6.6 cm; body mass: 77.8 ± 13.4 kg) consumed the supplement daily, and the second group (PL; 21.4 ± 4.7 years; height: 181.3 ± 5.9 cm; body mass: 83.3 ± 5.2 kg) consumed a placebo. Subjects were tested prior to the onset of supplementation (T1) and 7 (T2) and 14 days (T3) following supplementation. Each testing period occurred over a 2-day period. During day one of testing subjects performed a vertical jump power (VJP) and a bench press throw (BPT) power test. In addition, subjects were required to perform as many repetitions as possible with 75% of their 1-RM in both the squat and bench press exercises. Both peak and mean power was assessed on each repetition. On day two of testing subjects performed two 30sec Wingate anaerobic power tests (WAnT), each test separated by a 5-min active rest. Results: No differences were seen at T2 or T3 in the repetitions performed to exhaustion or in the number of repetitions performed at 90% of both peak and mean power between the groups in the bench press exercise. The number of repetitions performed in the squat exercise for BET was significantly greater (p < 0.05) than that seen for PL at T2. The number of repetitions performed at 90% or greater of peak power in the squat exercise was significantly greater for BET at both T2 and T3 than PL. No differences in any power assessment (VJP, BPT, WAnT) was seen between the groups Conclusion: Two-weeks of betaine supplementation in active, college males appeared to improve muscle endurance of the squat exercise, and increase the quality of repetitions performed.
A two‐fraction model for the transport of sand/gravel mixtures

[1] A mixed-size sediment transport model using only two fractions, sand and gravel, offers practical advantages in terms of the required input and conceptual advantages by readily incorporating the nonlinear effects of sand content on transport rate. A two-fraction model is developed from flume and field transport observations. Sand and gravel transport rates are collapsed to a single transport function using a scaling parameter representing incipient motion for each fraction. The incipient motion function is consistent with established values in the limit of pure sand and gravel beds and shows a sharp change with increasing sand content over the transition from a clast- to matrix-supported bed. A two-fraction model captures an important and previously unmodeled nonlinear effect of sand content on gravel transport rate and suggests important implications for a number of fluvial processes, including the response of channels to sediment supply and the mechanism for abrupt sorting in gravel/sand transitions.
Inequity In Social Exchange

Publisher Summary The process of exchange is almost continual in human interactions, and appears to have characteristics peculiar to itself, and to generate affect, motivation, and behavior that cannot be predicted unless exchange processes are understood. This chapter describes two major concepts relating to the perception of justice and injustice; the concept of relative deprivation and the complementary concept of relative gratification. All dissatisfaction and low morale are related to a person's suffering injustice in social exchanges. However, a significant portion of cases can be usefully explained by invoking injustice as an explanatory concept. In the theory of inequity, both the antecedents and consequences of perceived injustice have been stated in terms that permit quite specific predictions to be made about the behavior of persons entering social exchanges. Relative deprivation and distributive justice, as theoretical concepts, specify some of the conditions that arouse perceptions of injustice and complementarily, the conditions that lead men to feel that their relations with others are just. The need for much additional research notwithstanding, the theoretical analyses that have been made of injustice in social exchanges should result not only in a better general understanding of the phenomenon, but should lead to a degree of social control not previously possible. The experience of injustice need not be an accepted fact of life.
The efficacy of botulinum toxin A in post-mastectomy breast reconstruction: a pilot study.

Background Botulinum toxin A has been successfully used in a variety of areas to temporarily obliterate muscle mobility for either functional or aesthetic gain. Tissue expander–based breast reconstruction has been plagued with pain and discomfort. Objective The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the role of a neurotoxin (Botulinum toxin A) in expander-based breast reconstruction. Methods Thirty patients underwent mastectomies with immediate expander or acellular dermal matrix reconstruction. The neurotoxin group (n = 15) received 40 units of neurotoxin (Botulinum toxin A, Allergan, Inc, Irvine, CA) into each pectoralis major muscle through 4 serial injections and the placebo group (n = 15) received 4 serial injections of 0.9% NaCl. All patients were followed over 1 year, and patient demographics, VAS (visual analog score), laterality, office visits, amount of expansion and number of times to full expansion, and amount of narcotics required were recorded. Statistical significance was considered as p < .05. Results There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of age, laterality, expander size, or complications ( p = .46-.66). There was a significant difference between the two groups in the VAS score, demonstrating decreased pain in the neurotoxin group ( p < .05). In addition, there was a significant increase in the volume of expansion per visit in the neurotoxin group as compared to the placebo group ( p < .05). There was no significant difference in narcotic use in the first 3 days after surgery; however, there was a significant decrease in use of narcotics from 7 to 45 days in the neurotoxin group ( p < .05). There were no complications associated with the use of the neurotoxin. Conclusions The infiltration of the pectoralis major muscle with neurotoxin in immediate, expander-based reconstruction may be beneficial in reducing pain and expediting expansions. Level of Evidence 3![Graphic][1] Therapeutic [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Investigations of the Processing-Structure-Property Relationships of Isotactic Poly(4-Methyl-1-Pentene) Tubular Extruded Films

An investigation was undertaken of the processing-structure-property relationships of two linear poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) resins (PMP) which differed in molecular weight (M w ). This was done by characterizing tubular films (BUR = 1) extruded at two processing conditions, with specific attention being focused upon the morphological results and the crystal orientation as a function of M w . Carreau-Yasuda analysis of oscillatory shear data was utilized to evaluate the melt-flow behavior of the two resins. Atomic force microscopy and wide-angle X-ray scattering were utilized to study the morphology of the final films, which was shown to be a stacked lamellar structure for both resins. The M w and melt-extrusion conditions affected the orientation state and the nature of the stacking, planar or twisted. It was concluded that both extrusion stress and the relaxation behavior of the polymer melt are critical in determining the orientation/structural features of the extruded PMP films.
DVT: A New Era in Anticoagulant Therapy

March is deep vein thrombosis awareness month in the United States. To mark this event, this issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology contains a series of reviews on new anticoagulants that either are in development or have been approved for clinical use. Particularly exciting are the new oral inhibitors of thrombin (dabigatran etexilate) and factor Xa (rivaroxaban). See accompanying articles on pages 372, 376, 382, and 388 Thrombosis is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western world. Arterial thrombosis leads to myocardial infarction and stroke. Arterial clots are platelet-rich and fibrin-poor (so-called white clots). They are generated at sites of vascular injury under high shear rates and are prevented or treated with antiplatelet drugs.1 However, because of the fact that the thrombin is a potent activator of platelets and that arterial clots contain fibrin, anticoagulant drugs are also used to prevent arterial thrombosis. Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, is the third leading cause of death after myocardial infarction and stroke. It is estimated that 2 million people have deep vein thrombosis in the United States, and of these 600 000 have a pulmonary embolism (one-third of which are fatal).2 Venous clots are fibrin-rich and platelet-poor (so-called red clots) because of the incorporation of red cells and low levels of platelets. They are prevented or treated with anticoagulant drugs.1 There are 3 major groups of patients that are administered anticoagulant drugs to treat or prevent venous thrombosis: (1) patients with VTE, who have had VTE, or are at risk for VTE, such as patients undergoing hip and knee replacement surgery; (2) patients at risk for stroke because of atrial fibrillation; and (3) acute coronary syndrome patients. Before discussing the anticoagulant drugs that are available to treat thrombosis, …
Spots and clots - leave them or treat them? Why and how to treat.

The clinical indication for urgent endoscopy with combined diagnosis and treatment is bleeding that is severe enough to seek medical attention. The author uses stigmata of ulcer hemorrhage as a guide to endoscopic therapy. Active arterial bleeding, nonbleeding visible vessels and adherent nonbleeding clots are always treated endoscopically. In randomized trials, patients have demonstrated better outcomes from endoscopic therapies than from medical therapies. Flat spots, grey or black sloughs, and clear ulcer bases are not treated endoscopically. The clinical condition and the endoscopic appearance of the ulcer (ie, stigmata of hemmorrhage) of the patient with upper gastrointestinal bleeding are used to determine the subsequent level of care (discharge, ward or intensive care).
Three-dimensional hole transport in nickel oxide by alloying with MgO or ZnO

It has been shown previously that the movement of a hole in nickel oxide is confined to two dimensions, along a single ferromagnetic plane. Such confinement may hamper hole transport when NiO is used as a p-type transparent conductor in various solar energy conversion technologies. Here, we use the small polaron model, along with unrestricted Hartree-Fock and complete active space self-consistent field calculations to show that forming substitutional MxNi1−xO alloys with M = Mg or Zn reduces the barrier for movement of a hole away from the ferromagnetic plane to which it is confined. Such reduction occurs for hole transfer alongside one or two M ions that have been substituted for Ni ions. Furthermore, the Mg and Zn ions do not trap holes on O sites in their vicinity, and NiO's transparency is preserved upon forming the alloys. Thus, forming MxNi1−xO alloys with M = Mg or Zn may enhance NiO's potential as a p-type transparent conducting oxide, by disrupting the two-dimensional confinement of holes in pure NiO.
Autonome Dysfunktion bei zentralneurologischer Krankheit

Beinahe alle Krankheiten des zentralen Nervensystems stehen nachgewiesenermasen oder vermutlich im Zusammenhang mit autonomen Storungen. Deren Auflistung im einzelnen wurde zu weit fuhren und ware meines Erachtens unangemessen. Ich habe mir daher die molekularen Aspekte autonomer Dysfunktion des zentralen Nervensystems zum Thema gestellt, ein Gebiet, das wohl in Zukunft noch sehr viel mehr erweitert werden wird und dessen Kenntnis vielleicht die Vorstellung zu akzentuieren vermag, das eine autonome Dysfunktion nicht ohne Bezug zur Molekularpathogenese der Krankheiten des zentralen Nervensystems betrachtet werden kann.
Characterization of Furanocoumarin Metabolites in Parsnip Webworm, Depressaria pastinacella

Although metabolites of furanocoumarins have been characterized in a wide range of organisms, to date they have been identified in only a single insect species, Papilio polyxenes. Depressaria pastinacella, the parsnip webworm, like P. polyxenes a specialist on Apiaceae, routinely consumes plant tissues higher in furanocoumarin content than does P. polyxenes and is capable of faster cytochrome P-450-mediated detoxification of these compounds. In this study, we characterized metabolites of xanthotoxin, a linear furanocoumarin, and sphondin, an angular furanocoumarin, in midguts and frass of parsnip webworms. Two metabolites were isolated and identified from webworms fed artificial diet containing xanthotoxin. LC-ESI-MS analysis resulted in the determination of a MW of 266 for the compound in the frass and one of the compounds in the midgut; 1H NMR confirmed its structure as 6-(7-hydroxy-8-methoxycoumaryl)-hydroxyacetic acid (HCHA). The second compound from the midgut had a MW of 252 and was identified by 1H NMR and 13C NMR analysis as 6-(7-hydroxy-8-methoxycoumaryl)-hydroxyethanol) (HMCH). Whereas HCHA has been found in frass of Papilio polyxenes fed xanthotoxin, HMCH has not been reported previously in insects. Although the first step of metabolism of xanthotoxin in webworms as well as P. polyxenes is likely the formation of an epoxide on the furan ring, angular furanocoumarin metabolism in webworms appears to differ. The principal metabolite of sphondin was identified as demethylated sphondin (6-hydroxy-2H-furo[2,3-h]-1-benzopyran-2-one) by LC-ESI-MS and confirmed by 1H NMR and 13C NMR analyses. That webworms produce metabolites of xanthotoxin in common not only with other Lepidoptera (e.g., HCHA) but with other vertebrates (e.g., HMCH) suggests a remarkable conservatism in the metabolic capabilities of cytochrome P-450s and raises the possibility that insects may share other detoxification reactions with vertebrates with respect to toxins in foodplants.
Mathematical Analysis on Partitioning and Transmutation System with a Two-Member Nuclide Chain

A mathematical model for mass flow in a transmutation system has been established for a chain of two transuranic (TRU) radionuclides. The nonrecursive solutions for the fractions of the two TRU radionuclides in the transmitter core before and after the irradiation in the i'th cycle have been obtained by the similarity transformation. With the nonrecursive analytical solutions, the TRU reduction ratio has been formulated as a performance measure for the system. The stability of the system has been defined in terms of the moduli of the eigenvalues of the system. The conditions for a stable system and for a system to reach a quasi-steady state with fewer cycles have been shown in terms of the system parameters. A large value of the non-dimensionalized destruction coefficient d is beneficial for effective waste reduction because (a) the system reaches a quasi-steady state faster; (b) the TRU mass in the waste can be reduced more effectively; and (c) the precursor effect becomes negligible, and each radionuclide can be approximately treated as a single radionuclide without precursors.
The effects of plane of nutrition, live weight, temporary weaning and breed on the occurrence of oestrus in beef cows during the post-partum period

The occurrence of oestrus and ovarian function during the post-partum period was examined in 160 lactating beef cows of the Africander and Mashona breeds. Cows were fed either to gain 12 to 14% (High) or to lose 12 to 14% (Low) of their autumn peak live weight (early pregnancy) by mid-breeding season. Half the cows in each group were subjected to an increase (Low-High) or decrease (High-Low) in nutrient intake for a 25-day period starting at 25 days partum. Nursing was interrupted for an 8-day period in half of the cows at 50 days post partum by the application of nose plates to their calves.Oestrus occurred significantly earlier in the high than the low plane cows (66 v. 75 days post partum respectively, P< 0·05), but short-term fluctuations in nutrient supply had no apparent effect on the incidence of oestrus. Temporary weaning significantly reduced the mean time from calving to first oestrus in the high-plane (P< 0·01) but not in the low-plane cows, and in Mashona (P<0·05) but not in Africander cows. There was a lower incidence of ‘silent’ oestrus and the mean occurrence of oestrus was significantly earlier (P< 0·001) in the Mashona when compared with the Africander cows.
NECTRIA AND PENICILLIFER

The new species Nectria alata and N. penicilliferi (Ascomycetes, Hypocreales) and their anamorphs, respectively, Penicillifer bipapillatus sp. nov. and P. macrosporus sp. nov., are described. This is the first connection of Penicillifer species to teleomorphs. The generic concept of Penicillifer is restricted to anamorphs of Nectria species having conidiophores that: 1) are unbranched and monophialidic; 2) bear a terminal penicillus of phialides; or 3) are once- or twice-branched with each branch bearing a terminal penicillus of phialides. Conidia are cylindrical, 1-septate, bipapillate, and joined end to end in chains that ultimately break down, leaving the conidia adherent in slime. Colonies in agar culture produce a diffusing brown pigment. A key to accepted species of Penicillifer is presented, as is a key to genera and species of hyphomycetes that have colorless or lightly colored, mononematous conidiophores and slimy chains of colorless conidia. Two distinctive species ofNectria collected in the American tropics were grown in pure culture from isolated ascospores. Both species produced anamorphs identified as Penicillifer van Emden. These Nectria species and their anamorphs are described below. Taxonomy of Penicillifer is clarified, and its relationship to Nectria is discussed. A key to accepted species of Penicillifer is presented, as is a key to the hyphomycetes known to produce colorless conidia in slimy chains.
Motives for College Attendance

Motives for college attendance were compared for male and female college freshmen at a resident, private college (80 males, 80 females) and at a commuter, state university (77 males, 62 females). Ss were administered a 19-statement rating scale. There were no apparent sex differences within each group. Desire to satisfy parental demands was a much stronger motivational factor for resident, private college students and a desire to make more money was rated as a much stronger motivational factor by the commuter, public college group.
Experimental decompression of the fascial compartments of the foot--the basis for fasciotomy in acute compartment syndromes

Surgical decompression of the foot by fasciotomy is the only effective means of preventing the late consequences of a compartment syndrome i.e., myoneural ischemia. In this study, a slit catheter system was used to monitor the compartment pressures in experimentally induced compartment syndromes of the foot. The ease and rate of decompressing the intracompartmental pressures via a double incision dorsal approach versus a medial longitudinal approach were compared in 40 paired fresh cadaver specimens. In both methods, intracompartmental pressure is satisfactorily decompressed. However, it takes longer after effective fasciotomies for pressures to normalize via the dorsal approach (11 min versus 1 min; P less than 0.01). The double incision dorsal approach is easier to perform and may be the method of choice for fasciotomy associated with fractures of the forefoot requiring internal fixation.
Isolation and Identification of High Virulent Newcastle Disease Virus Strain in Swan Goose

In order to identify the disease causes of swan goose,the pathogen was isolated and identified by hemagglutination and hemagglutination inhibition test,and its pathogenicity was determined,in May 2012.The results showed that the isolated virus was identified to be Newcastle disease virus(NDV) based on the serological test(named DQBT01).And the indexes of mean death time(MDT) of chicken embryo,intracerebral pathogenicity index(ICPI) in one-day-old chicken and intravenous pathogenicity index(IVPI)was 55h,1.68,2.54 respectively.The results demonstrated that the isolate was a highly pathogenic strain.Swangeese in captivity infected with NDV and so it is necessary to further research on the virus.
Physicochemical Properties of Rice Seedling Substrates and Existing Problems and Countermeasures in the Production

From the species,bulk density,porosity,pH value,and other aspects of the physicochemical properties of rice seedling substrates,the research indicators and research progress were elaborated,at the same time from the actual situation of production,the existing problems in the substrates were analyzed,and the countermeasures were pointed out.
Development on±1000kV UHVDC instrument transformer

DC transmission is very important in long distance power transmission in China because of its safety and reliability.As long as±800kV HVDC transmission project has been built,±1000kV ultra HVDC transmission becomes possible.DC instrument transformer is important of value source and relay protection in power measurement.Because DC instrument transformer is more difficult than AC in manufacture and it is not safe,so it is not popular in the world and China.±800kV HVDC instrument transformer is lied in Yun nan-Guang Dong and Xiang jiaba-Shang hai projects.To develop homemade UHVDC devices,it is very important to research±1000 kV UHVDC instrument transformer.Through comparing and analyzing±800kV UHVDC instrument transformer,we have researched the section,configuration,performance and other key technology of±1000kV UHVDC instrument transformer in detail,so as to hold key technology and economize project financing.
Lincoln’s Decisionism and the Politics of Elimination

Abraham Lincoln’s hallowed place in American memory is secure: He saved the Union, put an end to slavery, and was assassinated for these very successes. At the same time, Lincoln’s many undeniable achievements came at terrible—and lasting—democratic cost. Informed by the work of Carl Schmitt and Giorgio Agamben, this essay aspires to illuminate that cost by analyzing two cases where Lincoln exercised a sovereign decisionism—one involving the exile of Ohio politician Clement Vallandigham for publicly opposing the Civil War and the draft, a second involving the mass execution of Dakota Sioux Indians for daring to rise up and enact their own sovereign prerogatives during the war. This decisionism reveals Lincoln’s problematic resort to anti-political practices to deal with adversaries. Given the damage Lincoln did to American democracy, the essay also investigates what he might have done to make amends for it. Finally, it explores how Lincoln’s place in American history might be remembered more agonistically...
The Will to Forget: Ovidian Heroism and the Compulsion to Confess in Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus

Ritual confusion defines much of Marlowe’s treatment of theology and religious practices in Doctor Faustus. At the conclusion of Faustus’s visit to the papal court, for instance, Mephistopheles and Faustus reference “bell, book, and candle” and the friars repeat “Maledicat Dominus” in their dirge, thereby transposing the rite of excommunication with exorcism (3.1.82–3, 3.1.91–7). This scene also functions as an extended parody of the sacrament of the Eucharist, with the Pope’s meat and drink representing despoiled sacramental elements. Marlowe’s handling of ritual in this scene reinforces the anti-Catholicism that pervades Faustus’s visit to Rome and parallels his conflation, reappropriation, inversion, and parody of sacraments and rituals elsewhere in the tragedy. Marlowe stages distinctly Roman Catholic rituals only to empty them of their significance, much in the same way that contemporary polemicists sought to reduce the Eucharist, Purgatory, and other Catholic sacraments to theatrical performances.1 What these fraught religious scenes might affirm—if they affirm anything at all—remains ambiguous. Critics have discovered a variety of doctrinal parallels, ranging from the Puritan, moderate Calvinist, anti-Calvinist, and Catholic to a combination of several theologies, but this conspicuous imprecision makes it difficult if not impossible to establish a consistent theology operating within the play. And this problem is only intensified by Marlowe’s potential collaboration with other playwrights, subsequent posthumous additions, and substantial variations between the 1604 A-Text and 1616 B-Text.2
Decreased expression of NEDL2 in Hirschsprung's disease

Abstract Purpose NEDD4-like ubiquitin protein ligase 2 (NEDL2) plays an important role in many physiological and pathological processes. NEDL2 is a positive regulator of GDNF/Ret signaling during enteric neurogenesis. Mice lacking NEDL2 exhibit decreased numbers of enteric neurons, progressive bowel dysmotility and intestinal hypoganglionosis. We designed this study to investigate the expression of NEDL2 in the normal human colon and in HSCR. Methods HSCR tissue specimens (n = 10) were collected at the time of pull-through surgery and divided into aganglionic and ganglionic segments. Colonic control samples (n = 10) were obtained from patients with imperforate anus at the time of colostomy closure. Immunolabeling of NEDL2 was visualized using confocal microscopy to assess protein distribution, while Western blot analysis was undertaken to quantify NEDL2 protein expression. Results Confocal microscopy revealed that NEDL2-immunoreactivity colocalized with ICCs and neurons within the submucosa, myenteric plexus and smooth muscle in controls and ganglionic specimens, with markedly reduced NEDL2-immunoreactivity in aganglionic specimens. Western blotting revealed high levels of the NEDL2 protein in normal controls and the ganglionic region of HSCR, while there was a marked decrease in NEDL2 protein expression in the aganglionic region of HSCR. Conclusion We report, for the first time, the expression of NEDL2 in the human colon. The decreased expression of NEDL2 in the aganglionic colon suggests that NEDL2 may play a role in the pathophysiology of HSCR.
Are Western Juniper Seeds Dispersed Through Diplochory

Abstract Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) “berries ” are consumed by frugivorous birds, which then defecate and disperse the seeds. However, rodents also consume western juniper seeds, and seedlings can establish from rodent scatterhoards. To explore relative roles of potential seed dispersal agents, we experimentally quantified removal rates by birds and rodents of intact western juniper berries versus seeds cleaned either manually or by passage through bird guts at two northeastern California sites (Likely and Shinn Peak). We also conducted seedling emergence experiments with berries, hand-cleaned, and bird-passed seeds placed on the soil surface or buried at a depth typical of rodent caches. Birds removed juniper berries from plots and left seeds undisturbed at Likely, but bird activity was negligible at Shinn Peak. Rodent removal of seeds versus berries was similar at Likely, but at Shinn Peak rodents removed significantly more seeds. In the seedling emergence experiment, juniper seeds or berr...
Pro-arrhythmic effect of heart rate variability during periodic pacing

Clinically, healthy hearts have been associated with a high ventricular heart rate variability (HRV) while diseased hearts have been known to exhibit low ventricular HRV. Hence, low HRV is suggested to be a marker of cardiac ventricular arrhythmias. Over the past few years, there has been considerable amount of interest in incorporating HRV in pacing to emulate healthy heart conditions and re-stabilize the electrical activity in diseased hearts. Recently, we used single cell numerical simulations to demonstrate that HRV incorporated into periodic pacing promotes alternans formation and thus, can be pro-arrhythmic. Here, we performed high-resolution optical mapping experiments on Langendorff perfused, healthy whole mice hearts to validate our numerical findings. Our results indeed demonstrate that HRV promoted the onset of cardiac alternans, which is believed to be a precursor of fatal cardiac rhythms. Hence, our present study suggests that incorporating HRV into periodic pacing while addressing several clinical needs may not be safe. There is a pressing need to better understand paced cardiac dynamics and develop anti-arrhythmic pacing techniques that would prevent cardiac arrhythmias.
FRI0553 Obesity and The Risk of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in The Nurses' Health Studies

Background Obesity in the U.S. has increased to an alarming extent over the past four decades. Obesity is related to risk of several autoimmune diseases, possibly via generation of adipokines and inflammatory cytokines. Prospective studies of obesity and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) risk are lacking however. Objectives To prospectively evaluate the association between obesity and SLE risk Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of women in the U.S. Nurses9 Health Studies (NHS, 1976–2012, age 30–55 at baseline; NHSII, 1989–2013, age 25–42 at baseline). Incident SLE was confirmed by American College of Rheumatology 1997 criteria. Body mass index (BMI, kg/m 2 ) was reported at baseline and on biennial questionnaires. Cumulative average BMI (18.5 to Results We identified 154 SLE cases in NHS and 113 cases in NHSII. At baseline, obesity was present in 8.4% (NHS) and 11.8% (NHSII); mean age was 42.7 (SD 7.1) years (NHS) and 34.4 (SD 4.6) years (NHSII); 92% were White in each cohort. Obesity was significantly associated with SLE risk among women in NHSII, but not NHS (Table). In NHSII, a strong dose-dependent relationship between BMI and SLE risk was observed. After meta-analysis, obese women had a non-significantly elevated SLE risk compared to normal weight women (p trend 0.02). Results were similar in sensitivity analyses excluding women with cancer (HR 1.48, 95%CI 0.93–2.37, p trend 0.03). In analyses starting in 1988/1989, obese women had an increased SLE risk (meta-analyzed HR 1.76, 95%CI 1.19–2.58) compared to normal weight women (p trend Conclusions Obesity was associated with a significant 88% increase in SLE risk in the younger cohort, NHSII, but did not significantly elevate SLE risk in NHS subjects. Meta-analysis revealed a non-significant 49% increased risk of SLE in obese women. We observed a stronger obesity-associated SLE risk when analyses started in 1988/1989 in both cohorts. The discrepant results between the cohorts are not fully understood and deserve further study. Disclosure of Interest None declared
History Education, Domestic Narratives, and China’s International Behavior

The prime “raw material” for constructing ethnicity is usually the past—history (Eller, 1999). It is collective memory of the past that binds a group of people together. According to Anthony D. Smith (1996, p. 383), ethnic, national, or religious identities are built on historical myths that define who a group member is, what it means to be a group member, and, typically, who the group’s enemies are.
Indian and Sri Lankan Hindu Gender Expectations

This chapter recalls some of the historical gender expectations for Hindu women in India and Sri Lanka. This chapter considers the notion that selfhood within the Hindu social structure is often understood in “relational” terms, rather than in terms of individualism. This chapter illustrates the ways in which women’s participation and leadership roles are affirmed through modalities of performance which carry important responsibilities both ritual and administrative, public and domestic. In this chapter, we see some of the ways in which women’s leadership in the temple casts women as individuals, working together in mutual support of one another, family and community.
Abstract 646: A Critical Role of CD8+ T cells in the Genesis of Renal Dysfunction in Hypertension

T cells have been implicated in the genesis of hypertension however the mechanisms and subtype of T cells involved are still poorly understood. Moreover, the manner by which T cells of various subtypes affect renal function remains poorly defined. Recently, we found that CD8 + T cells play a critical role in the blood pressure elevation caused by angiotensin II. We sought to determine if CD8 + T cells have a role in the renal responses to angiotensin II. In metabolic chamber studies, we found that wild-type mice excrete 80% of a saline load (10% of body weight) in 4 hours, and that this is decreased in response to angiotensin II to 60 ± 5% (p -/- mice. In contrast, CD4 -/- mice demonstrate a markedly exaggerated anti-natriuretic and anti-diuretic response to angiotensin II (p -/- mice, but not in CD8 -/- mice. In addition, we found that angiotensin II infusion caused significant hypertrophy of the renal arterioles ( -/- mice, (1.5 to 4.5 and 2.9 to 5.3 respectively, p -/- mice (1.8 to 3.3). We also observed that the number of arterioles 0-25 micron in diameter decreased from 16.5 and 15.5 to 11.8 and to 11.4/mm2 in wild type and CD4 -/- mice respectively in response to angiotensin II, but was not changed in CD8 -/- mice. Our study therefore shows a previously unrecognized role for CD8 + T cells in modulating renal sodium and volume retention, renal cortical superoxide production, vascular hypertrophy and rarefaction. Thus, CD8 + T cells are an important intermediate in the actions of angiotensin II on the kidney, and a potential therapeutic target.
Treatment strategies in low-volume metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Purpose of review There are currently limited data to guide the optimal management of patients with low-volume metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). In this review, we critically assess the most relevant clinical data, and discuss opportunities for advancing therapeutic options in this patient population. Recent findings Over the past decade, treatment options for mCRPC have expanded beyond taxanes to include abiraterone/prednisone, enzalutamide, sipuleucel-T, and radium-223. However, only a subset of patients in the landmark phase 3 studies would meet criteria consistent with low-volume mCRPC, and optimal treatment approach for this patient population is unclear. There is emerging evidence that mCRPC patients who harbor low-volume or indolent disease may derive the most benefit from immunotherapy. Whereas prospective data are lacking, stereotactic body radiation appears to be well tolerated and effective for local control of metastases in oligometastatic CRPC. Summary Prospective studies are needed to establish optimal therapeutic approaches in carefully selected low-volume mCRPC patients. Advances in functional imaging and molecular profiling should provide opportunities to optimize patient selection for effective treatment strategies.
EroS enzyme from Aliivibrio fischeri plays Cupid to choanoflagellates

A collaborative effort by the King and Clardy laboratories serendipitously identified a bacterial chondroitinase that triggers the choanoflagellate S. rosetta to swarm and sexually reproduce.
Cardiac Innervation and the Autonomic Nervous System in Sudden Cardiac Death

Neural remodeling in the autonomic nervous system contributes to sudden cardiac death. The fabric of cardiac excitability and propagation is controlled by autonomic innervation. Heart disease predisposes to malignant ventricular arrhythmias by causing neural remodeling at the level of the myocardium, the intrinsic cardiac ganglia, extracardiac intrathoracic sympathetic ganglia, extrathoracic ganglia, spinal cord, and the brainstem, as well as the higher centers and the cortex. Therapeutic strategies at each of these levels aim to restore the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. Understanding this complex neural network will provide important therapeutic insights into the treatment of sudden cardiac death.
The Weathering Environment

The alteration of rocks at the earth’s surface is shown by the development of saprolites and soils. Rocks vary in composition and therefore in their susceptibility to alteration by weathering processes. Furthermore, the chemical environment in which rocks are altered varies with position on the earth’s surface and also with local conditions. The environments under which most atmospheric weathering takes place are oxidizing with an oxidation potential (Eh) of + 600 mV and a pH ranging from pH 4 to pH 10. Environments isolated from the atmosphere may have Eh ranging from + 400 mV to − 400 mV within the same pH range as above. Many chemical reactions between minerals and water take place in the contact of groundwater, water in rocks, waterlogged rocks or soils, and in organic-rich fresh and saline waters. Baas-Becking et al. (1960) compiled the results of many hundreds of published analyses of the pH and Eh values of soils, shallow groundwater, and fresh water to obtain the natural weathering environment as it actually occurs. Figure 2 shows this environment.
A Case Report of Fatal Necrotizing Encephalitis and Acute HBV Infection: Coincidence or Comorbidity?

We report the first fatal pediatric case of encephalitis associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. A Caucasian, previously healthy, and vaccinated 7-year-old girl was evaluated at our hospital for fever, vomiting, tremors, and loss of consciousness. At admission, she underwent brain computed tomographic scan, electroencephalogram, lumbar puncture, and blood examination. In 12 hours, her clinical condition deteriorated and the patient entered coma and died. A laboratory error was useful to reach a predeath diagnosis, showing HBV–DNA on blood. Autopsy confirmed HBV–PCR DNA in brain, lymphnodes, lungs, liver, and spleen. We generally do not search HBV–DNA in organic fluid of Italian children with encephalitis, as they are currently all vaccinated. Consequently, as a teaching lesson, we would suggest not to take anything obvious.