cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forest floor characteristics under longleaf-slash pine on two spodosols

Forest floor materials from a 45-year-old natural stand of Pinus palustris—P. elliottii growing on two coastal flatwood Spodosols (Electra and Wauchula fine sands), differing mainly in drainage characteristics, were similar except for total and organic matter weights and Al and Fe concentrations. The floors averaged 9.8 and 28.0 t/ha total dry weight in the 01(L) and 02(F + H) layers, respectively. Mineral soil represented 12 and 28% of the weights of these two layers. The 01 layer was equivalent to about 1.5 times and the 02 about 3.7 times the annual litter fall of the stands. The generally low nutrient concentrations, particularly of N (0.58 and 1.02% in 01 and 02 layers) and P (0.025 and 0.045%) are believed to influence decomposition rate of floor materials and result in a relatively heavy accumulation. This conclusion was supported by the wide C:N ratios of 92 (01 layer) and 53 (02 layer) and C:P ratios of 2116 and 1200 in these layers. Cation exchange capacity (CEC) at field pH averaged 32 and 45 meq/100 g of 01 and 02 material, on an ash-free basis. Grinding to pass a 20-mesh sieve significantly increased CEC of 01, but not of 02 materials. CEC increased linearly with decreasing acidity of the saturating solutions over the range of pH 4 to 7. The increase was from 35 to 75 meq/100 g in 01 materials and from 62 to 128 meq/100 g in 02 materials, over this pH range. The correlation between ash-free total N and CEC (pH 7) was highly significant (r2 = 0.87), with 1.65 meq/100 g CEC associated with each meq/100 g N. The water-soluble organic materials contained similar types of chemical structures which differed only in numbers of functional groups.
Perceptual skill, radiology expertise, and visual test performance with NINA and WALDO

Rationale and Objectives. The goal of this study was to determine if radiologists possess superior visual search and analysis skills compared with those of laypeople. Materials and Methods. In two experiments, radiologists and laypeople searched one of two complex pictorial scenes for hidden targets. Eye position was recorded during the search. Two measures of performance were obtained: accuracy of detecting targets as measured by using alternative free response receiver operating characteristic analysis and visual search efficiency as measured by using eye position analysis. Results. There were no statistically significant differences in detection performance between radiologists and laypeople for either of the search tasks. Radiologists took longer on average to search the images and to first fixate on the targets than did the laypeople. For both groups, true-positive and false-positive decisions were associated with longer dwell times than true-negative decisions. As with radiology search tasks, false-negative decisions were also associated with longer dwell times than true-negative decisions. Conclusion. Performance on two visual search and detection tasks indicate that radiologists do not possess superior visual skills compared with laypeople. Radiology expertise is more likely to be a combination of specific visual and cognitive skills derived from medical training and experience in detecting and determining the diagnostic importance of radiographic findings.
Synthesis of diverse heterocyclic scaffolds via tandem additions to imine derivatives and ring-forming reactions

A novel strategy has been developed for the efficient syntheses of diverse arrays of heterocyclic compounds. The key elements of the approach comprise a Mannich-type, multicomponent coupling reaction in which functionalized amines, aromatic aldehydes, acylating agents, and π- and organometallic nucleophiles are combined to generate intermediates that are then further transformed into diverse heterocyclic scaffolds via a variety of cyclization manifolds. Significantly, many of these scaffolds bear functionality that may be exploited by further manipulation to create diverse collections of compounds having substructures found in biologically active natural products and clinically useful drugs. The practical utility of this strategy was exemplified by its application to the first, and extraordinarily concise synthesis of the isopavine alkaloid roelactamine.
GRAND ROUNDS: Schizophrenia in a Fourteen-Year-Old Boy

Schizophrenia in adolescence is one of the most difficult problems many of us face in our pratices. The following panel of experts will discuss general and specific issues in the care of a boy with schizophrenia
Subcellular localization of types A and B monoamine oxidase in rat brain

Abstract The subcellular localization of the A and B forms of MAO in rat brain was examined. Although both enzymatic forms were found to be present in synaptosomal fractions, the B:A ratio in the synaptosomal fraction was one-half that in the extrasynaptosomal mitochondrial fraction obtained from whole brain. The synaptic mitochondria, isolated following lysis of the synaptosomes. had the same B:A ratio as the nonlysed synaptosomes, suggesting that (1) MAO-B activity is, indeed, associated with synaptosomes and (2) that this activity is located in the mitochondria. The relative activities of the A and B enzymes in synaptosomal fractions were found to be greatly different among discrete brain regions, even though only small variations are evident in the whole homogenates. We conclude from these data that the activity of MAO-B may be nonuniformly located among different populations of synaptic endings.
Unsupervised outlier profile analysis.

In much of the analysis of high-throughput genomic data, “interesting” genes have been selected based on assessment of differential expression between two groups or generalizations thereof. Most of the literature focuses on changes in mean expression or the entire distribution. In this article, we explore the use of C(α) tests, which have been applied in other genomic data settings. Their use for the outlier expression problem, in particular with continuous data, is problematic but nevertheless motivates new statistics that give an unsupervised analog to previously developed outlier profile analysis approaches. Some simulation studies are used to evaluate the proposal. A bivariate extension is described that can accommodate data from two platforms on matched samples. The proposed methods are applied to data from a prostate cancer study.
Silver staining in clinical cytogenetics.

Silver staining of human chromosomes at prometaphase or metaphase identifies variants in the stalk (nucleolar organizing) regions of acrocentric chromosomes (Nos. 13, 14, 15, 21, 22). Variants are defined by size, number, and morphology of silver staining areas. They are heritable polymorphisms and have not been associated with clinical abnormalities. However, these variants are useful in clinical cytogenetics, specifically in studies attempting to determine whether genetic material has been gained or lost in chromosomal rearrangements, the origin of chromosomal aberrations, the origin of cells in tissue culture, the chromosomal location of single genes, clonal origin of tumors, the zygosity of twins, and paternity. Some chromosomal aberrations require silver staining for their definition. Because loss of the stalk regions per se is apparently not deleterious, demonstration that chromosomal breaks occurred within this region without concomitant loss or gain of genetic material essential for normal human development provides basis for a good prognosis for the individual with the chromosomal rearrangement resulting from such breakage. The principle underlying most of the other applications is to determine whether variants being compared are identical or dissimilar, and to make inferences from these results (e.g., variants in monozygotic twins should all be identical, whereas in dizygotic twins they are as similar as in any pair of sibs). Silver staining is a valuable technique for special questions in clinical analysis.
Hypokaliemic, hypochloremic alkalosis in cushing's syndrome. Observations on the effects of treatment with potassium chloride and testosterone.

ALKALOSIS associated with hypokaliemia and hypochloremia in certain L cases of Cushing's syndrome has been reported by McQuarrie et al. (1), and Anderson et al. (2) and studied in detail by Kepler and his associates (3, 4, 5, 6, 7). Although the precise mechanism responsible for this disturbance in electrolyte balance has not yet been elucidated, a basis for an understanding of it has come from the studies of Darrow (8, 9). This investigator has shown that, in rats at least, there is a high degree of correlation between the sodium and potassium content of muscle and the serum chloride and bicarbonate after biologic equilibrium has been established. Deficit of potassium induced by a low potassium diet and/or injections of desoxycorticosterone resulted in an increase in serum bicarbonate and muscle sodium and a decrease in muscle potassium and serum chloride. Similar changes were found during alkalosis from chloride deficit. Rats suffering from acidosis due to sodium deficit exhibited a decreased intracellu...
VARIABILITY AND CONVERGENCE IN STAND STRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT ON A FIRE-DOMINATED SUBALPINE LANDSCAPE

The 1988 Yellowstone fires resulted in a complex mosaic within which post- fire lodgepole pine seedling densities varied by over five orders of magnitude. Investigators have speculated that such postfire mosaics of vegetation structure may persist until the next large disturbance, but the fate of the initial structural variability of postfire communities is currently poorly understood. We studied lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Englem. ex Wats.) stands in Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, USA) unburned by the 1988 fires to determine how variation in stand structure changes with increasing stand age. The coefficient of variation in stand density decreased from 231% in 12-yr-old stands to 91% in stands aged 50-100 yr, and to 37% for stands ages 200-250 yr. Substantial variability in age distributions both within and among age classes suggested that both gradual infilling of initially sparse stands and self-thinning of initially dense stands are important processes affecting variation in stand density. Variation in stand density was explained primarily by stand age (P < 0.0001) and by geographic location (P < 0.01). Field estimates and re- constructions of stand density trajectories suggest the importance of biotic processes and the contingent effects that produce initial patterns of stand density. Variation in stand density is substantially reduced 125 yr following fire and remains relatively unchanged beyond approximately 200 yr. These results suggest that large, infrequent fires impose a pattern of stand structural variability that may persist for centuries, but stand density likely converges within the fire-free interval in this landscape.
Über Reppe hinaus: Aufbau substituierter Arene durch [2+2+2]‐Cycloaddition von Alkinen

Aus drei mach eins: Die Ubergangsmetall-katalysierte [2+2+2]-Cycloaddition ist als Methode zum Aufbau von carbocyclischen Gerusten etabliert, zeigt aber haufig nur schlechte Selektivitaten. Jungst wurden jedoch vielversprechende Arbeiten vorgestellt, in denen bei einer intermolekularen metallkatalysierten [2+2+2]-Cycloaddition aus drei Alkinen ein mehrfach substituiertes Aren erhalten wird (siehe Schema).
Influence of cation constriction on the ac conductivity dispersion in metaphosphate glasses

The ac conductivity resulting from ion motion in glasses displays a power-law frequency dependence characterized by an exponent n<1. Recently, it was suggested that this exponent depends upon the dimensionality of the local cation conduction space, such that n decreases with decreasing dimensionality. Here, I report measurements of the ac conductivity of two metaphosphate glass systems. The first are the superionic glasses formed by doping AgI into AgPO{sub 3}. The second are the alkali-metal metaphosphate glasses, MPO{sub 3}, where M=Li, Na, K, Rb, or Cs. In both glass systems, the conductivity exponent varies with expansion of the phosphate chains which comprise the glass network. In the AgI-doped glasses, n increases with increasing expansion of the network, whereas in the alkali-metal series, n decreases with the expansion. However, when n is considered as a function of the ''constriction'' of the cation (i.e., the cation size relative to the chain separation), this exponent behaves similarly for both glass systems, decreasing with increasing constriction of the cation. This decrease is proposed to result from a reduction in the coordination of the cation's local conduction space caused by increased constriction. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Epidermal nucleases: Purification and characterization of ribonuclease from mammalian epidermis

Abstract The major ribonuclease of adult guinea pig epidermis has been isolated and purified over 1000-fold by a combination of ammonium sulfate fractionation, affinity and ion-exchange chromatography, and electrophoresis. The purified enzyme is free from phosphodiesterase and phosphatase activities. The ribonuclease is optimally active near neutrality in phosphate buffer, with a K m of 3μg/ml toward [ 14 C]RNA from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. There are no metal requirements for activity. The enzyme catalyzes the endonucleolytic hydrolysis of high molecular weight yeast RNA and it also hydrolyzes polycytidylic and polyuridylic acids, but not polyadenylic, polyguanylic, and polyinosinic acids. The apparent molecular weight of the active enzyme is 28 500.
Effects of earthworms, nematodes, cultivations and host plants on Verticillium wilt of peach and cherry.

SUMMARY Verticillium dahliae but not V. albo-atrum Berth was isolated from eight out of twenty-one stone fruit orchards surveyed for Verticillium wilt disease in western New York. Wilt incidence was related to the cultivation of tomato or legumes as previous or inter-crop with stone fruit trees. A limited cross species inoculation using isolates of V. albo-atrum and V. dahliae from woody and herbaceous plants showed that peach and cherry were susceptible to both species. The effect of V. dahliae on growth of cherry seedlings in the presence of Tylenchorynchus claytoni, Pratylenchus penetrans and Meloidogyne hapla was compared. P. penetrans and M. hapla produced more severe growth reduction than T. claytoni. The adverse effect of Verticillium on the growth of cherry seedlings was greater acting together with any one of the three nematodes than acting alone. V. dahliae was shown to be capable of passage through earthworms without loss of infectivity.
Computer simulation study of defect formation and migration energy in calcium fluoride

Abstract A theoretical study of the defect formation (vacancy, interstitial and Frenkel defects) energy, and vacancy migration energy in calcium fluoride is presented in this paper. Calculations were conducted using the ab initio method with the plane-wave pseudopotential and molecular-dynamics simulation to determine the energetic and defect properties of the CaF 2 crystal. For cation and anion vacancies, the relaxed vacancy formation energies were calculated to be 13.75 and 8.34 eV, respectively. It was also found that only the octahedral positions are stable sites for Ca and F interstitial atoms. For cation the second nearest neighbor Frenkel defects were found to be stable within the simulation time (5ps) and the defect formation energy was estimated to be 9.3 eV, while the third nearest neighbor Frenkel defects for anion were stable and the formation energy was only 2.49 eV. The results are in agreement with Ure’s experimental results. The migration energy of cation vacancy in the direction of 〈1 1 0〉 is lower than that of 〈1 0 0〉 (3.93 eV versus 4.62 eV), suggesting 〈1 1 0〉 is the most likely path for Ca vacancies to migrate, while most anion vacancies may diffuse in the 〈1 0 0〉 directions due to a very low (0.33 eV) anion migration energy in the direction. The data are useful for better understanding the formation of nano-scale void superlattice in calcium fluoride under electron beam irradiation.
Molecular cloning and characterization of RGC-32, a novel gene induced by complement activation in oligodendrocytes.

Abstract Sublytic complement activation on oligodendrocytes (OLG) down-regulates expression of myelin genes and induces cell cycle in culture. Differential display (DD) was used to search for new genes whose expression is altered in response to complement and that may be involved in cell cycle activation. DD bands showing either increased or decreased mRNA expression in response to complement were identified and designated ResponseGenes to Complement (RGC) 1–32.RGC-1 is identical with heat shock protein 105,RGC-2 with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, andRGC-10 with IP-10. A new gene, RGC-32, that encodes a protein of 137 amino acids was cloned. RGC-32 has no homology with other known proteins, and contains no motif that would indicate its function. In OLG, the mRNA expression was increased by complement activation and by terminal complement complex assembly. RGC-32 protein was localized in the cytoplasm and co-immunoprecipitated with cdc2 kinase. Overexpression of RGC-32 increased DNA synthesis in OLGxC6 glioma cell hybrids. These results suggest thatRGC-32 may play a role in cell cycle activation.
Acetylating activity in the rat in relation to other signs of pantothenic acid deficiency.

Abstract Acetylation of sulfanilamide in vivo has been followed with hourly urine collections in normals of varying body weight, and in adult rats during the development of pantothenate deficiency. As the deficiency progresses the general level of the acetylation time curve drops, and the shape of the curve changes systematically. Rats placed at weaning on a partial pantothenate deficiency show acetylation curves very similar to those of adults on a total deficiency after the same experimental time, 15 weeks. These two age groups are by this measure equally deficient at this time. The two age groups differ at this time in two other manifestations of the deficiency: susceptibility to infection by a corynebacterium and development of duodenal mucosal lesions and ulcers, the young rats developing the infection and the adults the duodenal changes.
Effects of sample spinning on cross polarization

Abstract In solid samples with small dipolar couplings between the abundant spins, sample spinning can effectively modulate the heteronuclear dipolar interaction responsible for cross-polarization (CP) transfer of magnetization from abundant to rare spins. This modulation is most visible with spinning frequencies that are at least comparable to the size of dipolar coupling between the abundant spins. The effective frequency of modulation and the widths of maxima in plots of CP rate vs matching rf field strength depend on the angle between the spinning axis and the direction of the magnetic field. Spinning the sample about an axis that is off the magic angle increases the widths of such maxima, thereby rendering the Hartmann-Hahn match condition easier to achieve and maintain. These effects are demonstrated by spinning samples of adamantane and ( 1 HCO 2 ) 2 Cd · 2 2 H 2 O at angles of 54.7° and at 90°. In samples with large dipolar couplings of the abundant spins, any modulation caused by spinning is largely inconsequential; samples of polyethylene and ( 1 HCO 2 ) 2 Cd · 2 1 H 2 O are used to demonstrate this fact.
Information costs and portfolio selection

This paper examines the relationship between perceived information costs and expected returns, expected range of returns, ownership and sources of information for a group of affluent investors in a multi-market setting (across a variety of investments). Findings show that investors expect excess returns and greater risk in areas characterized by high information costs and that ownership is more limited (less diversified) in these investment areas. Additionally, the involvement of certain types of advisors (information sources) substantially increases information costs.
An experimental and computational study of soot formation in a coflow jet flame under microgravity and normal gravity

Abstract Upon the completion of the Structure and Liftoff in Combustion Experiment (SLICE) in March 2012, a comprehensive and unique set of microgravity coflow diffusion flame data was obtained. This data covers a range of conditions from weak flames near extinction to strong, highly sooting flames, and enabled the study of gravitational effects on phenomena such as liftoff, blowout and soot formation. The microgravity experiment was carried out in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) on board the International Space Station (ISS), while the normal gravity experiment was performed at Yale utilizing a copy of the flight hardware. Computational simulations of microgravity and normal gravity flames were also carried out to facilitate understanding of the experimental observations. This paper focuses on the different sooting behaviors of CH4 coflow jet flames in microgravity and normal gravity. The unique set of data serves as an excellent test case for developing more accurate computational models. Experimentally, the flame shape and size, lift-off height, and soot temperature were determined from line-of-sight flame emission images taken with a color digital camera. Soot volume fraction was determined by performing an absolute light calibration using the incandescence from a flame-heated thermocouple. Computationally, the MC-Smooth vorticity–velocity formulation was employed to describe the chemically reacting flow, and the soot evolution was modeled by the sectional aerosol equations. The governing equations and boundary conditions were discretized on an axisymmetric computational domain by finite differences, and the resulting system of fully coupled, highly nonlinear equations was solved by a damped, modified Newton’s method. The microgravity sooting flames were found to have lower soot temperatures and higher volume fraction than their normal gravity counterparts. The soot distribution tends to shift from the centerline of the flame to the wings from normal gravity to microgravity.
Outcomes and Cost Analysis of Pyeloplasty for Antenatally Diagnosed Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction Using Markov Models

OBJECTIVES The optimal timing of pyeloplasty for children diagnosed with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) after workup for antenatal hydronephrosis is disputed. We sought to examine the potential costs and clinical outcomes of treatment protocols featuring different indications for pediatric pyeloplasty using Markov models. METHODS Cost and outcomes analysis using Markov modeling was performed for three treatment algorithms: medical management, immediate pyeloplasty (during the first year of life), and pyeloplasty after no improvement on imaging. The costs were determined from the perspective of the medical institution. The variables tracked during Markov model simulation included age at resolution of UPJO, the proportion of patients with worsened hydronephrosis, the number of pyeloplasties, the number of pyelonephritis episodes, and costs. Sensitivity analyses were performed to determine which elements affected the model and to determine threshold values. RESULTS Immediate pyeloplasty and pyeloplasty after no improvement on imaging resulted in rapid resolution of UPJO (mean age at resolution younger than 2 years) with lower rates of worsened hydronephrosis and pyelonephritis compared with observation alone. For the surgical protocols, the costs per resolved case of UPJO were greater than those for medical management alone at the probability values tested in the Markov models. The sensitivity analysis of all variables over realistic ranges demonstrated that the costs of surgery, annual antibiotics and imaging, and the rate of pyelonephritis were critical in determining the costs. CONCLUSIONS Pediatric urologists should include practice-specific features such as the costs of surgery, annual antibiotics and imaging, and pyelonephritis rates when considering efficacious, yet less costly, treatment protocols for UPJO.
WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME-AFFECTED LITTLE BROWN MYOTIS (MYOTIS LUCIFUGUS) INCREASE GROOMING AND OTHER ACTIVE BEHAVIORS DURING AROUSALS FROM HIBERNATION

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging infectious disease of hibernating bats linked to the death of an estimated 5.7 million or more bats in the northeastern United States and Canada. White-nose syndrome is caused by the cold-loving fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), which invades the skin of the muzzles, ears, and wings of hibernating bats. Previous work has shown that WNS-affected bats arouse to euthermic or near euthermic temperatures during hibernation significantly more frequently than normal and that these too-frequent arousals are tied to severity of infection and death date. We quantified the behavior of bats during these arousal bouts to understand better the causes and consequences of these arousals. We hypothesized that WNS-affected bats would display increased levels of activity (especially grooming) during their arousal bouts from hibernation compared to WNS-unaffected bats. Behavior of both affected and unaffected hibernating bats in captivity was monitored from December 2010 to March 2011 using temperature-sensitive dataloggers attached to the backs of bats and infrared motion-sensitive cameras. The WNS-affected bats exhibited significantly higher rates of grooming, relative to unaffected bats, at the expense of time that would otherwise be spent inactive. Increased self-grooming may be related to the presence of the fungus. Elevated activity levels in affected bats likely increase energetic stress, whereas the loss of rest (inactive periods when aroused from torpor) may jeopardize the ability of a bat to reestablish homeostasis in a number of physiologic systems.
Photogeneration in conducting polymers

Abstract A number of diverse phenomena, such as the small carrier yield per photon seen in picosecond photoconductivity, the different behavior of picosecond photoinduced absorption, PA, in dilute solutions and thin films, and the spectral distribution of PA in thin films, show that photogenerated positive and negative polarons in conducting polymers are for the most part bound in pairs on adjacent chains by their Coulomb attraction. The PA also gives additional evidence that the binding energy of the singlet exciton in poly (phenylene vinylene) is 0.4 eV, leading to a gap of 2.8 eV.
Suppression of ventricular arrhythmias with intravenous disopyramide and lidocaine: efficacy comparison in a randomized trial.

Abstract Twenty-six patients with clinically significant ventricular arrhythmias were randomly assigned to treatment with either intravenous disopyramide or lidocaine; crossover to the other agent was permitted in nine cases of primary drug failure. In addition, disopyramide was administered non-randomly to seven patients with ventricular arrhythmias not controlled by lidocaine in standard doses. Arrhythmia control (greater than 50 percent reduction of premature ventricular complexes) was achieved in all 22 trials with disopyramide and in 9 of 13 trials with lidocaine in the random study, whereas clinical efficacy (arrhythmia control with absence of side effects) occurred respectively in 15 of 22, and 8 of 13 trials. In all 11 patients (7 nonrandom, 4 random) whose arrhythmia was not controlled with lidocaine the arrhythmia was controlled with disopyramide. Thus, the clinical efficacy of intravenous disopyramide ran parallel to that of lidocaine in patients with ventricular arrhythmias. Furthermore, intravenous disopyramide was an effective alternative agent for patients with arrhythmia not controlled by lidocaine.
Incidence and predictors of myocardial infarction among patients with atrial fibrillation

Abstract OBJECTIVES We sought to evaluate the utility of excluding myocardial infarction (MI) in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with atrial fibrillation (AF) and to identify predictors of MI in this group. BACKGROUND Patients with AF are frequently admitted to the hospital, in part, to exclude an associated MI. There are no prospective data on unselected patients to support this common practice. METHODS We conducted a prospective cohort study of all patients who presented to a single-center ED with the primary diagnosis of AF. RESULTS Of a total of 255 patients, 190 (75%) were admitted to the hospital, and 109 of them underwent a standard “rule-out MI” protocol. Of these 109 patients, six (5.5%) were identified as having an acute MI at the time of admission. Chest pain was present in 39% of patients, with a sensitivity and specificity for the occurrence of MI of 100% and 65%, respectively. ST segment elevation or depression was present in 43% of patients, with a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 51%. The presence of either major ST segment depression (>2 mm) or elevation on the admission electrocardiogram (ECG) was present in 6%, with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 99%. The resulting positive and negative predictive values were 86% (95% confidence interval [CI] 42% to 99%) and 100% (95% CI 96% to 100%), respectively. Use of this criterion would have reduced the number of rule-out MIs in our study group by 94%, with no loss of sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS Chest pain and ST segment depression are extremely common findings in patients presenting to the ED with AF and have limited power to predict MI. In contrast, ECG evidence of ST segment elevation or depression >2 mm appears to be a reliable discriminator of which patients are at risk for MI. Patients without significant ST segment changes are at very low risk for MI and may not require performance of the rule-out MI protocol or hospital admission if clinically stable.
Spyware and national privacy laws: consumer education is empowerment

Spyware poses a serious threat of privacy infringement to unassuming internet users across the globe. Existing European legislation attempts to protect end-users from unethical processing of their personal data. Outlawing the technology used in spyware and strengthening the legal consent requirement to mine data are statutory solutions that can prevent spyware users from skirting the law. Transnational improvements are necessary to remedy the global spyware epidemic.
Microarray analysis of murine retinal light damage reveals changes in iron regulatory, complement, and antioxidant genes in the neurosensory retina and isolated RPE.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate light damage-induced transcript changes within neurosensory retina (NSR) and isolated retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Similar studies have been conducted previously, but were usually limited to the NSR and only a portion of the transcriptome. Herein most of the transcriptome, not just in the NSR but also in isolated RPE, was queried. Methods Mice were exposed to 10,000 lux cool white fluorescent light for 18 hours and euthanized 4 hours after photic injury. NSR and isolated RPE were collected, and RNA was isolated. DNA microarray hybridization was conducted as described in the Affymetrix GeneChip Expression Analysis Technical Manual. Microarray analysis was performed using probe intensity data derived from the Mouse Gene 1.0 ST Array. For the genes of interest, confirmation of gene expression was done using quantitative real-time PCR. Immunofluorescence assessed protein levels and localization. Results Numerous iron regulatory genes were significantly changed in the light-exposed NSR and RPE. Several of these gene expression changes favored an iron-overloaded state. For example, the transferrin receptor was upregulated in both light-exposed NSR and RPE. Consistent with this, there was stronger transferrin receptor immunoreactivity in the light-exposed retinas. Significant changes in gene expression following light damage were also observed in oxidative stress and complement system genes. Conclusions The concept of a photooxidative stress-induced vicious cycle of increased iron uptake leading to further oxidative stress was introduced.
Narrative inquiry as cultural psychology: Meaning-making in a contested global world

In this article, I re-examine Jerome Bruner’s vision of narrative psychology that he laid out over two decades ago. In particular, I argue that narrative inquiry must focus on identities located in sociocultural contexts of transnational movement and migration. The contact of self with multiple forms of otherness — both subtle and violent — play a significant role in identity formation. I discuss two examples from the Somalian and Indian diaspora to show how the study of these fractured, shifting, and hybridized identities provide a very valuable site from which narrative psychology has an opportunity to remake itself as a field that continues to be relevant in a world that is rapidly becoming transnational, diverse, and global.
Regulation of NAD(P)H oxidases by AMPK in cardiovascular systems

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are ubiquitously produced in cardiovascular systems. Under physiological conditions, ROS/RNS function as signaling molecules that are essential in maintaining cardiovascular function. Aberrant concentrations of ROS/RNS have been demonstrated in cardiovascular diseases owing to increased production or decreased scavenging, which have been considered common pathways for the initiation and progression of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, (re)stenosis, and congestive heart failure. NAD(P)H oxidases are primary sources of ROS and can be induced or activated by all known cardiovascular risk factors. Stresses, hormones, vasoactive agents, and cytokines via different signaling cascades control the expression and activity of these enzymes and of their regulatory subunits. But the molecular mechanisms by which NAD(P)H oxidase is regulated in cardiovascular systems remain poorly characterized. Investigations by us and others suggest that adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), as an energy sensor and modulator, is highly sensitive to ROS/RNS. We have also obtained convincing evidence that AMPK is a physiological suppressor of NAD(P)H oxidase in multiple cardiovascular cell systems. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of how AMPK functions as a physiological repressor of NAD(P)H oxidase.
Size determination of Orgyia pseudotsugata cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus genomic RNA

Abstract Molecular-weight estimates were determined for the Orgyia pseudotsugata cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (CPV) genome. The molecular-weight estimates were obtained from measurements of glyoxal denatured RNA molecules following electrophoresis in 1% agarose gels and electron micrographic contour lengths. These estimates were compared to the minimal coding capacity derived from the size of translation products of selected genomic segments. The results obtained from these different experimental approaches were in sufficient agreement to estimate the genome size at 20.4 × 106 (29.8 kbp) with a segmental range from 0.61 to 3.53 × 10 6 (0.89–5.19 kbp). Two other members of the Reoviridae family were examined, the Bombyx mori CPV and the human reovirus type 3 (Dearing strain). The molecular-weight estimates for these two viruses were 20.3 and 19.1 × 10 6 , respectively. These results suggest that the previously published molecular-weight estimates for these various double-stranded RNA genomes were underestimated.
Anatomical landmarks to avoid injury to the great auricular nerve during rhytidectomy.

Background: An estimated 116 086 facelifts were performed in 2011. Regardless of the technique employed, facial flap elevation carries with it anatomical pitfalls of which any surgeon performing these procedures should be aware. Injury to the great auricular nerve (GAN) is the most common of these injuries, occurring at a rate of 6% to 7%. Objectives: We report our findings on the location of the GAN on the basis of anatomical landmarks to aid surgeons with planning their surgical approach for safe elevation of rhytidectomy skin flaps in the lateral neck region. Methods: Sixteen fresh cadaveric heads were dissected under loupe magnification. All specimens were dissected in a 45-degree (facelift) position in which a mid-sternocleidomastoid (SCM) incision was used for exposure. Measurements from the bony mastoid process, bony external auditory canal, external jugular vein, and anterior border of the SCM to the GAN were taken in each cadaver. Results: The GAN follows a consistent course over the mid-body of the SCM before bifurcating into anterior and posterior branches and terminal arborization. Regardless of the length of the SCM, the GAN at its most superficial location was found to be consistently at a ratio of one-third the distance from either the mastoid process or the external auditory canal to the clavicular origin of the SCM. Conclusions: Knowledge of the anatomy, course, and location of the GAN along the surface of SCM muscle based on anatomic landmarks and distance ratios can facilitate a safer dissection in the lateral neck during rhytidectomy procedures.
Social networking technologies as vehicles of support for women in learning communities

This chapter focuses on social networking technologies as mechanisms for learning and support for women in formal online learning environments. Specific strategies for including social networking as an instructional tool are presented.
Significance Of inter-species matches when evolutionary rate varies

We develop techniques to estimate the statistical significance of gap-free alignments between two genomic DNA sequences, using human-mouse alignments as an example. The sequences are assumed to be sufficiently similar that some but not all of the neutrally evolving regions (i.e., those under no evolutionary constraint) can be reliably aligned. Our goal is to model the situation in which the neutral rate of evolution, and hence the extent of the aligning intervals, varies across the genome. In some cases, this permits the weaker of two matches to be judged as less likely to have arisen by chance, provided it lies in a genomic interval with a high level of background divergence. We employ a Hidden Markov Model to capture variations in divergence rates, and assign probability values to gap-free alignments using techniques related to those used for the same purpose by Blast. Our methods are illustrated in detail using a 1.49 Mb genomic region. Preliminary results using all of human chromosome 22 indicate that these techniques will work for the entire human genome.
The calculation of memory functions from frequency-dependent force-autocorrelation functions for vibrational dephasing

The relationship between vibrational-memory functions and frequency-dependent intermolecular force-autocorrelation functions is shown by modeling the vibrational-correlation functions from a cumulant-expansion equation and then calculating the memory functions via a generalized Langevin equation. Both the memory functions and force-autocorrelation functions are treated as autoregressive time series. It is shown that there exists a one-to-one correspondence between the frequencies of the force-autocorrelation and memory functions.
Loss of forest cover impacts the distribution of the forest-dwelling tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus)

Fragmentation of landscapes and the loss of species’ habitat by the expansion and intensification of human land use are major threats to global biological diversity, making it important to quantitatively characterize species’ distributions and resource requirements at multiple spatial scales. To examine the impact of landscape structure on the distribution of forest-dwelling bats, we examined the effects of these factors on the distribution and activity patterns of tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) in Nova Scotia, Canada. In Nova Scotia maternity colonies of the tri-colored bat use clumps of Usnea spp. lichen for roosting, typically in mature spruce trees. In 2005 and 2006, we used Anabats to assess tri-colored bat activity at 90 river sites in southwest Nova Scotia. The results of echolocation monitoring indicate that the tri-colored bat occurs within a minimum area of 10,020 km2. The best landscape predictor of the magnitude of tri-colored activity was non-forested land area within commuting distance of survey sites, suggesting that tri-colored bats were less active in landscapes where forests are cleared for agriculture, settlements and timber production. Therefore, this is an example of a forest-associated bat that seems to be negatively impacted by landscape practices that reduce the spatial extent of forests.
Ant Trail Pheromone Biosynthesis Is Triggered by a Neuropeptide Hormone

Our understanding of insect chemical communication including pheromone identification, synthesis, and their role in behavior has advanced tremendously over the last half-century. However, endocrine regulation of pheromone biosynthesis has progressed slowly due to the complexity of direct and/or indirect hormonal activation of the biosynthetic cascades resulting in insect pheromones. Over 20 years ago, a neurohormone, pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) was identified that stimulated sex pheromone biosynthesis in a lepidopteran moth. Since then, the physiological role, target site, and signal transduction of PBAN has become well understood for sex pheromone biosynthesis in moths. Despite that PBAN-like peptides (∼200) have been identified from various insect Orders, their role in pheromone regulation had not expanded to the other insect groups except for Lepidoptera. Here, we report that trail pheromone biosynthesis in the Dufour's gland (DG) of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, is regulated by PBAN. RNAi knock down of PBAN gene (in subesophageal ganglia) or PBAN receptor gene (in DG) expression inhibited trail pheromone biosynthesis. Reduced trail pheromone was documented analytically and through a behavioral bioassay. Extension of PBAN's role in pheromone biosynthesis to a new target insect, mode of action, and behavioral function will renew research efforts on the involvement of PBAN in pheromone biosynthesis in Insecta.
Global existence for a regularized magnetohydrodynamic-α model

We prove local and global existence results for the Cauchy problem of a regularized magnetohydrodynamic-α model with viscous velocity field and no magnetic diffusivity for an incompressible fluid. Such a model is introduced in analogy with the Navier–Stokes equation to study the turbulent behavior of fluids in presence of a magnetic field. We consider the case of two space dimension.
Evaluation of Three Methods for Estimating Numbers of Steelhead Smolts Emigrating from Great Lakes Tributaries

Abstract We compared three techniques for estimating the number of steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss smolts emigrating from the Betsie River in northwestern Michigan and evaluated the effect of sampling effort on estimates of annual production of smolts. In May and June 1993–1996, we used visual observations, time-lapse videography, and mark–recapture to estimate the number of emigrating hatchery and wild steelhead smolts. Based on the proportions of each species captured by trapping, hatchery and wild steelhead smolts composed 30–61% of all emigrating juvenile salmonids, which also included brown trout Salmo trutta, coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch, and chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. Annually, wild steelhead composed 12–52% of all steelhead smolts. Mark–recapture estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for steelhead smolts ranged from 13,836 (13,219–14,495) in 1995 to 56,660 (50,721–63,834) in 1993. Mark–recapture estimates yielded results that were up to nine times greater than those from obs...
Too Much of a Good Thing: Testing the Efficacy of a Cognitive Bias Modification Task for Cognitively Vulnerable Individuals

A growing body of research indicates that cognitive bias modification (CBM) may be an effective intervention for individuals with anxiety. However, few studies have tested whether CBM works for other disorders characterized by negative cognitive biases such as depression. This experiment tested the efficacy of CBM for altering depressogenic self-worth biases. Consistent with hypotheses, results showed that CBM was more effective than a control condition in teaching participants a more adaptive cognitive style (i.e., increased attention for adaptive self-worth stimuli). Those who successfully learned a more adaptive style reported fewer depressive symptoms and exhibited greater persistence (i.e., less helplessness) on a difficult laboratory task. However, the task proved difficult for cognitively vulnerable participants; they were not able to maintain their new learning over the entire course of the CBM training. Rather, their negative cognitive bias began to re-emerge after only 20 learning trials. These results indicate that CBM attention training might be most effective in reducing cognitive vulnerability when initially used in small doses.
Differentiation of two reticulo-hypothalamic systems regulating hippocampal activity

Abstract In thirty-five acute cat preparations under Flaxedil and in five chronic cat preparations, two neural systems corresponding, respectively, to hippocampal theta and to hippocampal desynchronization, have been identified and delineated with respect to origins in the mesencephalic reticular formation and their separate pathways via the medial or lateral hypothalamus to the hippocampus. The origins of these two contrasting systems were found to be adjacent in the dorso-lateral mesencephalic tegmentum, with the theta system localized in a slightly more dorso-lateral region. The medial hypothalamic pathway, believed to involve the dorsal fasciculus of Schutz, when stimulated at 100/sec, produced hippocampal theta activity; when this pathway was blocked by electrolytic lesions or reversible functional cryogenic blockade in more anterior regions of the hypothalamus, hippocampal theta waves were eliminated. In contrast, stimulation of the lateral hypothalamic pathway (believed to involve the medial forebrain bundle) caused hippocampal desynchronization which was blocked by electrolytic lesions or cryogenic blockade in more anterior regions. The theta system was blocked by lesions of the dorsal fornix, but the desynchronization system was unaffected, thus indicating further the distinctiveness of these mechanisms and of their separate pathways. Confirmation of the electrophysiological results was obtained in chronically awake and behaving preparations. Induction of theta activity in the hippocampus by stimulation of the medial hypothalamic theta system produced orienting and searching behavior. Blockade of the lateral hypothalamic desynchronizing system had a similar effect upon behavior. In contrast, stimulation of the lateral hypothalamic system or cryogenic blocking of the medial hypothalamic system produced an arrest of ongoing behavior and caused an attentive fixation of gaze. These results are deemed encouraging in the further analysis of natural or specifically trained behaviors as they relate to the distinctive hippocampal theta and desynchronization patterns.
Experimenting with a trace-driven simulator of a batch computing system

Measures of the performance of multiprogrammed systems frequently exhibit considerable instability with respect to workload characteristics. As a result, an evaluator of a change to a multiprogrammed system should investigate the effect of this change under different workloads and draw conclusions by means of statistical methods. This paper describes how such an evaluation is performed with a trace-driven simulator of the Watson Research Center's batch computing system. Two simulation experiments are described, one dealing with the number of printers and the other with the number of initiators.