cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydroperiod and its influence on nekton use of the salt marsh: A pulsing ecosystem

The salt marsh surface is not a homogeneous environment. Rather, it contains a mix of different microhabitats, which vary in elevation, microtopography, and location within the estuarine system. These attributes act in concert with astronomical tides and meteorological and climatological events and result in pulses of tidal flooding. Marsh hydroperiod, the pattern of flooding events, not only controls nekton access to marsh surface habitats directly but may also mediate habitat exploitation through its influence on other factors, such as prey abundance or vegetation stem density. The relative importance of factors affecting marsh hydroperiod differ between the southeast Atlantic and northern Gulf of Mexico coasts. Astronomical tidal forcing is the primary determinant of hydroperiod in Atlantic Coast marshes, whereas predictable tides are often overridden by meteorological events in Gulf Coast marshes. In addition, other factors influencing coastal water levels have a proportionately greater effect on the Gulf Coast. The relatively unpredictable timing of marsh flooding along the Gulf Coast does not seem to limit habitat utilization. Some of the highest densities of nekton reported from salt marshes are from Gulf Coast marshes that are undergoing gradual submergence and fragmentation caused by an accelerated rise in relative sea level. Additional studies of habitat utilization are needed, especially on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Investigations should include regional comparisons of similar microhabitats using identical quantitative sampling methods. Controlled field experiments are also needed to elucidate the mechanisms that affect the habitat function of salt marshes.
Carcinogenicity of heptachlor and chlordane.

1. FDA study on heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide, Davis, 19651 This study was conducted with initial groups of 100 male and 100 female C3H mice of unspecified initial age, which were each fed heptachlor or heptachlor epoxide. Data were reported for both sexes combined in summary memorandum form j . Control mice were fed with Purina chow ad libitum, and test groups received chow diets containing 10 ppm of heptachlor or its epoxide (Table 1). Four to 12 mice from each group were lost or discarded in the course of the study; additionally, eight males from controls and a subsequent group of 10 controls of unspecified sex, were used for liver tumor transplant studies. In view of this, the author states:
Effect of mode of birth on purine and malondialdehyde in umbilical arterial plasma in normal term newborns.

Effect of mode of birth on purine and malondialdehyde in umbilical arterial plasma in normal term newborns
The effect of quark masses on the running of the QCD coupling constant

The presence of thresholds for finite quark masses alters the behavior of the QCD coupling constant. While the alterations are small they can have significant influence on the determination of the scale parameter Λ. Part of the discrepancy between recent highQ2 determinations of Λ and older lowQ2 determinations can be attributed to charm and bottom thresholds. We present simple, analytic expressions for the mass dependence of α(Q2) and exploit these to discuss Λ determinations, scale breaking and the phenomenon of temporary freedom when more than 17 quark flavors exist.
Wnt signaling: Moving in a new direction

Abstract Evidence supporting the postulated role of a Wnt ligand in the establishment of planar cell polarity has been elusive, but recent studies show that the movement of epithelial cells during vertebrate gastrulation or Drosophila dorsal closure depends on both a Wnt ligand and the planar cell polarity pathway.
Endogenous Input Prices in Linear Programming Models

This paper provides a method for formulating linear programming models in which one or more factors have upward sloping supply schedules, and the prices of these factors are to be endogenously determined at either their competitive market equilibrium values or at the levels set by a monopsonist. The method for achieving these results utilizes the sum, over the relevant factor markets, of the producers' and consumers' surplus, and is an extension of existing methods for solving price endogenous models of product markets.
The Meaning of the Law Explosion: On Friedman's Total Justice

On the day I began to read Lawrence Friedman's book, Total Justice, the newspapers reported that the widow of Challenger astronaut Michael Smith had brought a $15 million suit against NASA under the Federal Tort Claims Act, alleging negligence in the launching of the rocket.' Two days later we had some friends over, and the story came up. Our guests, Mr. and Mrs. Bell, are in their eighties, and from other conversations I have had with them, both are politically conservative. They have spent much of their lives in the Far East, where Mr. Bell has worked for oil companies. They both opposed the Smith claim. They agreed that NASA had not performed as it ought, but to paraphrase them, when one gets on top of a machine like the shuttle one knows one's life is at risk. In some important way Astronaut Smith had assumed the risk.2 What should we make of their views? The
How do memory and attention change with pregnancy and childbirth? A controlled longitudinal examination of neuropsychological functioning in pregnant and postpartum women

Current literature on cognitive functioning in pregnancy and postpartum is mixed, with most research showing deficits in memory and attention during pregnancy or no difference between pregnant participants and controls with little emphasis on the postpartum period. In the current study, we used a longitudinal controlled design and 42 primarily not depressed participants to compare pregnant women in the third trimester and approximately three months postpartum with matched controls over the same time period on neuropsychological domains including memory, attention, learning, visuospatial, and executive functioning. We also evaluated the role of mood and quality of life as potential moderators of cognitive functioning in pregnancy/postpartum. Results indicated no differences between controls and pregnant/postpartum women on neuropsychological measures at any time points. Self-reported memory difficulties, however, were higher in the pregnant/postpartum women. Pregnant and postpartum women had worse self-rep...
Omega-3 fatty acids inhibit the up-regulation of endothelial chemokines in maintenance hemodialysis patients

Background. Chronic systemic inflammation is common in patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis (CKD5D) and has been considered a key mediator of the increased cardiovascular risk in this patient population. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) will attenuate the systemic inflammatory process in CKD5D patients. Methods. The design was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled pilot trial (NCT00655525). Thirty-eight patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 fashion to receive 2.9 g of eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5, n-3) plus docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6, n-3) versus placebo for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was change in pro-inflammatory chemokines measured by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Secondary outcomes were changes in systemic inflammatory markers. Analysis of covariance was used to compare percent change from baseline to 12 weeks. Results. Thirty-one patients completed 12 weeks and three patients completed 6 weeks of the study. Median age was 52 (interquartile range 45, 60) years, 74% were African-American and 79% were male. Supplementation of ω-3 PUFAs effectively decreased the LPS-induced PBMC expression of RANTES (Regulated upon Activation, Normal T cell Expressed and Secreted) and MCP-1 (Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1; unadjusted P = 0.04 and 0.06; adjusted for demographics P = 0.02 and 0.05, respectively). There was no significant effect of the intervention on serum inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and procalcitonin). Conclusions. The results of this pilot study suggest that supplementation of ω-3 PUFAs is beneficial in decreasing the levels of endothelial chemokines, RANTES and MCP-1. Studies of larger sample size and longer duration are required to further evaluate effects of ω-3 PUFAs on systemic markers of inflammation, other metabolic parameters and clinical outcomes, particularly cardiovascular outcomes in CKD5D patients.
Individual synaptic vesicles from the electroplaque of Torpedo californica, a classic cholinergic synapse, also contain transporters for glutamate and ATP.

The type of neurotransmitter secreted by a neuron is a product of the vesicular transporters present on its synaptic vesicle membranes and the available transmitters in the local cytosolic environment where the synaptic vesicles reside. Synaptic vesicles isolated from electroplaques of the marine ray, Torpedo californica, have served as model vesicles for cholinergic neurotransmission. Many lines of evidence support the idea that in addition to acetylcholine, additional neurotransmitters and/or neuromodulators are also released from cholinergic synapses. We identified the types of vesicular neurotransmitter transporters present at the electroplaque using immunoblot and immunofluoresence techniques with antibodies against the vesicle acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), the vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUT1, 2, and 3), and the vesicular nucleotide transporter (VNUT). We found that VAChT, VNUT, VGLUT 1 and 2, but not 3 were present by immunoblot, and confirmed that the antibodies were specific to proteins of the axons and terminals of the electroplaque. We used a single-vesicle imaging technique to determine whether these neurotransmitter transporters were present on the same or different populations of synaptic vesicles. We found that greater than 85% of vesicles that labeled for VAChT colabeled with VGLUT1 or VGLUT2, and approximately 70% colabeled with VNUT. Based upon confidence intervals, at least 52% of cholinergic vesicles isolated are likely to contain all four transporters. The presence of multiple types of neurotransmitter transporters – and potentially neurotransmitters – in individual synaptic vesicles raises fundamental questions about the role of cotransmitter release and neurotransmitter synergy at cholinergic synapses.
Antibiotic susceptibility of clinical isolates of Listeria monocytogenes.

A broth microdilution method was used to measure the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the antibiotics most often recommended for treatment of listeriosis. The MICs of ampicillin, penicillin, erythromycin, and tetracycline for 175 strains of Listeria monocytogenes were below the approximate MIC breakpoint for susceptible strains as recommended by the National Committee on Clinical Laboratory Standards. Inhibition diameters for 125 strains were measured by the standardized disk method (National Committee on Clinical Laboratory Standards) and compared with the appropriate MIC values. By both methods, strains were susceptible to the above four antibiotics, except for three strains, which were intermediate in susceptibility to penicillin by the disk method. Since the minimal bactericidal concentrations for ampicillin and penicillin significantly exceeded the MICs for these antibiotics, 45 strains were evaluated with ampicillin (5 μg/ml) and gentamicin (1 μg/ml) to compare the synergistic bactericidal effect of the two used in combination and singly. An increased kill of 100-fold was observed with the antibiotics combined in 19 strains after 4 to 6 h and in 40 strains after 24 h. A comparison of results with microdilution in Trypticase soy broth and agar dilution in Mueller-Hinton agar revealed that MICs for gentamicin, kanamycin, and streptomycin were strongly influenced by the media used. The MICs were consistently lower in Mueller-Hinton agar.
The Rise of the Leisure Class: Adolescence and Recreational Acculturation in the Canadian Arctic

Over the past two decades there has been a dramatic expansion and diversification of recreational and other expressive opportunities in Inuit communities throughout the Canadian Arctic. The construction of school gymnasiums, indoor and outdoor hockey arenas, curling rinks, baseball diamonds, game arcades, and golf courses has added a leisure domain that previously did not exist in northern life. These recreational developments have occurred at a time of fundamental social, political, and economic change in northern communities. They are but one reflection of a wide-ranging process of social change that is initiating significant alterations in behavior, attitudes, and social expectations, all resulting from increased contacts with the "South," that is, the United States and southern Canada. As I have documented in earlier works (Condon 1987, 1990), these acculturative changes have been most profoundly felt among the younger generation of Inuit who have been boin and reared within the comfort and security of government-subsidized settlements and towns. These young people have not only changed their
Effect of Age on the Changes of Extracranial Circulation During Hypoxia

In 68 healthy older men (mean age 59.5 years), the peak amplitude of impedance plethysmographic pulse tracings from the forehead increased significantly during hypoxia (breathing a 10 per cent O2, 90 per cent nitrogen mixture), while there was no significant change in a group of 58 healthy young men (mean age 23.4 years). The height of the dicrotic notch increased in the older men and decreased in the younger men. In both groups, the cycle length decreased, and the relative peak time increased significantly during hypoxia. The absolute peak time decreased in the older group and did not change in the younger group. The amplitude changes in hypoxia were related to the decrease of arterial oxygen saturation in the older, but not in the younger, men. It is suggested that hypoxia is a stronger stimulus for the reaction of extracranial circulation in older subjects.
The Physiological Significance of the Cardiotonic Steroid/Ouabain-Binding Site of the Na,K-ATPase

The Na,K-ATPase is the membrane "pump" that generates the Na(+) and K(+) gradients across the plasma membrane that drives many physiological processes. This enzyme is highly sensitive to inhibition by cardiotonic steroids, most notably the digitalis/ouabain class of compounds, which have been used for centuries to treat congestive heart failure and arrhythmias. The amino acids that constitute the ouabain-binding site are highly conserved across the evolutionary spectrum. This could be fortuitous or could result from this site being conserved because it has an important biological function. New physiological approaches using genetically engineered mice are being used to define the biological significance of the "receptor function" of the Na,K-ATPase and its regulation by potential endogenous cardiotonic steroid-like compounds. These studies extend the reach of earlier studies involving the biochemical purification of endogenous regulatory ligands.
Sweep-Frequency Oblique Ionospheric Sounding at Medium Frequencies

An experimental ionospheric sounder has been constructed for vertical-incidence or oblique sounding in the frequency range 600 kHz to 2 MHz. The equipment employs an FM linear frequency sweep transmission generated by direct synthesis from a frequency standard; an identical sweep is used for demodulation at the receiver. Sounding records, made at night over a 2000-km path, exhibit 10-?s resolution and show no interference from broadcast stations. Radiated power ranged from 25 to 250 watts. The advantage of good time delay resolution, together with suppression of interfering signals, makes possible ionospheric sounding of greatly improved quality in the MF range.
Design and fabrication of submicrometer, single crystal Si accelerometer

A lateral accelerometer has been designed, simulated, and fabricated using a 3-mask high-aspect ratio technology. Electron beam lithography and high-density plasma etching in an inductively coupled plasma source enabled aspect ratios >30 to be achieved. This makes possible beams with very small spring constants. Combining the ability to measure very small displacement of a proof mass due to narrow capacitive gaps between comb fingers, a highly sensitive accelerometer can be obtained. The fabricated accelerometer with 1 /spl mu/m beams and 0.2 /spl mu/m comb gaps had a spring constant of 0.127 N/m, which is close to the calculated values of 0.146 N/m. Based on the capacitance measurements, the accelerometer sensitivity is calculated to be 6.3 fF/g. Reducing the beam width to 0.4 /spl mu/m lowered the spring constant to 0.03 N/m, and an improved equivalent sensitivity of 79.2 fF/g is calculated. The minimum detectable acceleration is on the order of a few microgravity over a range of hundreds of gravities.
Dual effects of D-amphetamine on dopamine neurons mediated by dopamine and nondopamine receptors.

By increasing dopamine (DA) release and activating feedback mechanisms, amphetamine and related psychostimulants are known to inhibit DA cell firing. Here, we report that d-amphetamine also has an excitatory effect on DA cells, which under control conditions, is masked by the inhibitory effect ofd-amphetamine and is revealed when D2-like receptors are blocked. Thus, using in vivo single-unit recording in rats, we found that the selective D2 antagonist raclopride not only blocked the inhibition induced by d-amphetamine but also enabled d-amphetamine to excite DA cells. The excitation, expressed as an increase in both firing rate and bursting, persisted when both D1- and D2-like receptors were blocked by SCH23390 and eticlopride, suggesting that it is not mediated by DA receptors. The norepinephrine uptake blocker nisoxetine mimicked the effect ofd-amphetamine, especially the increase in bursting, whereas the 5-HT uptake blocker fluoxetine produced no significant effect. Adrenergic α1 antagonists prazosin and WB4101 and the nonselective α antagonist phenoxybenzamine completely blocked increase in bursting induced by d-amphetamine and partially blocked the increase in firing rate. The α2 antagonist idazoxan and the β antagonist propranolole, however, failed to prevent d-amphetamine from producing the excitation. Thus, revising the traditional concept, this study suggests that d-amphetamine has two effects on DA cells, a DA-mediated inhibition and a non-DA-mediated excitation. The latter is mediated in part through adrenergic α1 receptors.
Species-specific activity of SIV Nef and HIV-1 Vpu in overcoming restriction by tetherin/BST2.

Tetherin, also known as BST2, CD317 or HM1.24, was recently identified as an interferon-inducible host–cell factor that interferes with the detachment of virus particles from infected cells. HIV-1 overcomes this restriction by expressing an accessory protein, Vpu, which counteracts tetherin. Since lentiviruses of the SIVsmm/mac/HIV-2 lineage do not have a vpu gene, this activity has likely been assumed by other viral gene products. We found that deletion of the SIVmac239 nef gene significantly impaired virus release in cells expressing rhesus macaque tetherin. Virus release could be restored by expressing Nef in trans. However, Nef was unable to facilitate virus release in the presence of human tetherin. Conversely, Vpu enhanced virus release in the presence of human tetherin, but not in the presence of rhesus tetherin. In accordance with the species-specificity of Nef in mediating virus release, SIV Nef downregulated cell-surface expression of rhesus tetherin, but did not downregulate human tetherin. The specificity of SIV Nef for rhesus tetherin mapped to four amino acids in the cytoplasmic domain of the molecule that are missing from human tetherin, whereas the specificity of Vpu for human tetherin mapped to amino acid differences in the transmembrane domain. Nef alleles of SIVsmm, HIV-2 and HIV-1 were also able to rescue virus release in the presence of both rhesus macaque and sooty mangabey tetherin, but were generally ineffective against human tetherin. Thus, the ability of Nef to antagonize tetherin from these Old World primates appears to be conserved among the primate lentiviruses. These results identify Nef as the viral gene product of SIV that opposes restriction by tetherin in rhesus macaques and sooty mangabeys, and reveal species-specificity in the activities of both Nef and Vpu in overcoming tetherin in their respective hosts.
Angiotensin II early regulated genes in H295R human adrenocortical cells

Evidence for the dysregulation of aldosterone synthesis in cardiovascular pathophysiology has renewed interest in the control of its production. Cellular mechanisms by which angiotensin II (ANG II)...
Expert Opinion: Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Bleeding—Cause for Concern?

Omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters have well-known triglyceride-lowering properties and were shown >30 years ago to inhibit platelet function. With the recent US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of these agents for treating severe triglyceride elevations, concerns about excess bleeding naturally arise. However, an objective assessment of the evidence for clinically significant bleeding reveals that such concerns are unfounded. As such, the benefits of triglyceride lowering with omega-3 fatty acids more than outweigh any theoretical risks for increased bleeding.
Effective Antibiotic Resistance Mitigation during Cheese Fermentation

Controlling antibiotic-resistant (ART) bacteria in cheese fermentation is important for food safety and public health. A plant-maintained culture was found to be a potential source for ART bacterial contamination in cheese fermentation. Antibiotics had a detectable effect on the ART population from contamination in the finished product. The decrease in the prevalence of antibiotic resistance (AR) in retail cheese samples from 2010 compared to data from 2006 suggested the effectiveness of targeted AR mitigation in related products.
Relating Sensor Responses of Odorants to Their Organoleptic Properties by Means of a Biologically-Inspired Model of Receptor Neuron Convergence onto Olfactory Bulb

We present a neuromorphic approach to study the relationship between the response of a sensor/instrument to odorant molecules and the perceptual characteristics of the odors. Clearly, such correlations are only possible if the sensing instrument captures information about molecular properties (e.g., functional group, carbon chain-length) to which biological receptors have affinity. Given that information about some of these molecular features can be extracted from their infrared absorption spectra, an attractive candidate for this study is infrared (IR) spectroscopy. In our proposed model, high-dimensional IR absorption spectra of analytes are converted into compact, spatial odor maps using a feature clustering scheme that mimics the chemotopic convergence of receptor neurons onto the olfactory bulb. Cluster analysis of the generated IR odor maps reveals chemical groups with members that have similar perceptual characteristics e.g. fruits, nuts, etc. Further, the generated clusters match those obtained from a similar analysis of olfactory bulb odor maps obtained in rats for the same set of chemicals. Our results suggest that convergence mapping combined with IR absorption spectra may be an appropriate method to capture perceptual characteristics of certain classes of odorants.
Simulated Storm-Water Runoff Treatment by Duckweed and Algae Ponds

AbstractConstructed storm-water wetlands with different types of vegetation are capable of removing organics and nutrients from water while providing other important environmental and ecological services. The objectives of this study were to compare the efficiencies of organic and nutrient removal from a simulated storm-water runoff between the duckweed ponds (DWPs) and the algae ponds (APs) and to establish a potential link between the population of ammonia-oxidizing organisms and effluent water quality. Two replicate ponds were operated under identical conditions in which duckweeds initially thrived off the water, but they were taken over by filamentous algae after the complete removal of duckweeds. The ponds were able to remove 74±4% chemical oxygen demand (COD); 90±3% NH4+-N; 94±2% NO3−-N; and 47±7% orthophosphate in the DWPs in contrast to only 64±6% COD; 77±6% NH4+-N; 85±4% NO3−-N; and 21±6% orthophosphate in the APs. The dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were significantly different between the ponds. I...
Nitric oxide production as an indication of Mycobacterium bovis infection in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are reservoirs for Mycobacterium bovis in northeast Michigan, USA. Production of nitric oxide (NO) by activated macrophages is a potent mechanism of mycobacterial killing. The capacity of macrophages to produce NO, however, varies among mammalian species. The objective of this study was to determine if mononuclear cells from white-tailed deer produce nitrite as an indication of NO production and, if so, is NO produced in response to stimulation with M. bovis antigens. Supernatants were harvested from adherent peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures that had been stimulated with either Mannheimia haemolytica lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or media alone (i.e., no stimulation). Nitrite levels within M. haemolytica LPS-stimulated culture supernatants exceeded (P < 0.05) those detected within supernatants from non-stimulated cultures as well as those detected within supernatants from cultures receiving an inhibitor of NO synthase in addition to M. haemolytica LPS...
Abstract 9843: Proton Pump Inhibitors Inhibit DDAH and Processes Underlying Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Rationale: The cardiovascular enzyme dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) has recently been implicated in the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). By degrading asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS), DDAH releases the brake on a pathway implicated in lung injury and fibrosis. In addition, DDAH promotes the pro-fibrotic activity of the TGFβ pathway. Objectives: We embarked on studies to discover DDAH inhibitors, and to assess the effect of such inhibitors on processes involved in IPF. Methods: We performed high throughput screening (HTS) of over 130,000 small molecules and discovered that the proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) modestly inhibit DDAH. We used cellular and molecular assays to study the effect of the PPIs on DDAH activity by measuring the concentration of ADMA. In addition, we assessed the effect of PPIs on collagen synthesis by IPF lung fibroblasts, and on the survival and proliferation of lung alveolar epithelial cells. Finally, a retrospective analysis of the Stanford University interstitial lung disease (ILD) database was performed to assess the effect of PPIs on transplant-free survival. Results: We found that the PPIs inhibit DDAH activity in biochemical assays, cell culture and in vivo. The resulting increase in ADMA level was mirrored by a reduction in NO production. In addition, the PPIs reduced the production of soluble collagen by primary IPF lung fibroblasts in response to TGFβ and regulated both proliferation and survival of lung alveolar epithelial cells. Retrospective review of the ILD database of 131 IPF patients (of who 85 were on PPIs for > 1 year) revealed a survival advantage (i.e. time to transplant or death when calculated from the time of diagnosis) of the patients on PPIs, including those without symptoms of Gastroesophageal disease (GERD); an indication for which the PPIs are primarily prescribed for, suggesting the involvement of a mechanism other than acid-suppression. Conclusions: Our data reveal a plausible biological explanation for the clinical benefit of the PPIs in IPF. The reported reduction in radiologic fibrosis score and significant survival advantage of IPF patients on PPIs may be due to modulation of the DDAH/NOS pathway.
Political Advances Amid Litigational Defeats: The Indirect Effects of Crimtort Causes

McIntosh and Cates [Multi-Party Litigation: The Strategic Context, 2010] and Silverstein [Law's Allure: How Law Shapes, Constrains, Saves, and Kills Politics, 2009] have argued the severe deficiencies of civil suits and class action litigation for advancing consumerist or regulatory causes. In the proposed paper, we report results of content-analyses that suggest that even lawsuits that were tactical defeats have yielded strategic advantages. Mass-media coverage of litigation against makers or marketers of cigaretees, firearms, silicone implants, and fast or fatty foods reveals that plaintiffs reframe defendants in the court of public opinion even as plaintiffs lose case after case in courtrooms and juryrooms. We focus on crim-torts, the use of civil suits to criminalize corporate defendants, as an public-relations boon even in quixotic crusades.
Neural Correlates of Phonetic Learning in Postlingually Deafened Cochlear Implant Listeners.

OBJECTIVE The present training study aimed to examine the fine-scale behavioral and neural correlates of phonetic learning in adult postlingually deafened cochlear implant (CI) listeners. The study investigated whether high variability identification training improved phonetic categorization of the /ba/-/da/ and /wa/-/ja/ speech contrasts and whether any training-related improvements in phonetic perception were correlated with neural markers associated with phonetic learning. It was hypothesized that training would sharpen phonetic boundaries for the speech contrasts and that changes in behavioral sensitivity would be associated with enhanced mismatch negativity (MMN) responses to stimuli that cross a phonetic boundary relative to MMN responses evoked using stimuli from the same phonetic category. DESIGN A computer-based training program was developed that featured multitalker variability and adaptive listening. The program was designed to help CI listeners attend to the important second formant transition cue that categorizes the /ba/-/da/ and /wa/-/ja/ contrasts. Nine adult CI listeners completed the training and 4 additional CI listeners that did not undergo training were included to assess effects of procedural learning. Behavioral pre-post tests consisted of identification and discrimination of the synthetic /ba/-/da/ and /wa/-/ja/ speech continua. The electrophysiologic MMN response elicited by an across phoneme category pair and a within phoneme category pair that differed by an acoustically equivalent amount was derived at pre-post test intervals for each speech contrast as well. RESULTS Training significantly enhanced behavioral sensitivity across the phonetic boundary and significantly altered labeling of the stimuli along the /ba/-/da/ continuum. While training only slightly altered identification and discrimination of the /wa/-/ja/ continuum, trained CI listeners categorized the /wa/-/ja/ contrast more efficiently than the /ba/-/da/ contrast across pre-post test sessions. Consistent with behavioral results, pre-post EEG measures showed the MMN amplitude to the across phoneme category pair significantly increased with training for both the /ba/-/da/ and /wa/-/ja/ contrasts, but the MMN was unchanged with training for the corresponding within phoneme category pairs. Significant brain-behavior correlations were observed between changes in the MMN amplitude evoked by across category phoneme stimuli and changes in the slope of identification functions for the trained listeners for both speech contrasts. CONCLUSIONS The brain and behavior data of the present study provide evidence that substantial neural plasticity for phonetic learning in adult postlingually deafened CI listeners can be induced by high variability identification training. These findings have potential clinical implications related to the aural rehabilitation process following receipt of a CI device.
Regulation of Rubisco gene expression in C4 plants

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate-carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) incorporates inorganic carbon into an organic form, making this chloroplastic enzyme one of the most essential factors for all life on earth. Despite its central role in photosynthesis, research into regulation of the chloroplast rbcL and nuclear RbcS genes that encode this enzyme has lagged behind other plant gene systems. A major characteristic of kranz-type C4 plants is the accumulation of Rubisco only within chloroplasts of internalized bundle sheath cells that surround the leaf vascular centers. In plants that utilize the less common single cell C4 system, Rubisco accumulates only within one type of dimorphic chloroplasts localized to a specific region of leaf chlorenchyma cells. Understanding regulatory processes that restrict Rubisco gene expression to only one cell type or chloroplast type is a major focus of C4 research. Regulatory steps may include transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational processes.
Scale Dependence of the Orientation and Conformation Distribution Analysis of a Molecular Monolayer Using Sum Frequency Generation Imaging Microscopy

A systematic approach of experimentally measuring the average orientation and distribution of octadecanethiol (ODT) monolayer on gold was performed by using sum frequency generation imaging microscopy (SFGIM). By constructing maps from region of interests (ROIs) of different length scales, measuring from 5 to 1000 μm, two-dimensional domains could be distinguished to contain less-oriented monolayers. By generating the tilt angle distributions of the scaled ROIs, SFGIM determines the experimental orientation, θ, and distribution width, σ0, as dictated by the SFGIM resolution limit. Using the same statistical methods, the heterogeneities of ODT monolayers on Au and Cu were compared. The quantitative analysis of these orientation parameters is essential for future work on characterizing monolayer integrity on more complex surfaces such as reactive metals and alloys. Composite maps that merge orientation and conformational information were demonstrated as potential tools for spectromicroscopic measurement of ...
The place of Shi’i clerics in the first Iranian constitution

Despite their regional, ethnic, and linguistic differences, the recent social and political upheavals of the Middle East have shared one basic concern. From the 2009 Green Movement in Iran to the 2011 Tunisian revolts which ignited the Arab Uprisings, and from the first Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt in 2012 to the protests in Turkey’s Taksim Square in 2013, a central issue has been how to establish a democratic state with a modern constitution while adhering to many shari’a rules and regulations. This debate is not a new one in the Middle East and, as this article will demonstrate, it has been a central theme of Iranian politics ever since the Constitutional Revolution of 1906. At the time of that first Iranian revolution, Iran was ruled by two sets of laws, shari’a religious law and ‘urf customary law. Shi’i clerics, with their elaborate institutional hierarchy, controlled shari’a law, which was considered the more important law of the land, whereas the monarch and local rulers were nominal guar...
The Importance of Governance Levels in Alternative Food Networks: The Case of Red Meat Inspection Rules

Focusing on U.S. red meat inspection regulations, in the context of alternative food networks (AFNs), we explore the implications of different levels of governmental governance for the number of red meat slaughter establishments in the United States. We argue that disaggregating “the state” makes possible a more nuanced consideration of the effects of different tiers of governance. We use regression analysis with data for 40 U.S. states over 40 years to examine the effects of state (subnational) inspection programs and implementation of the federal Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations on the number of slaughter establishments by type. In this analysis we test two common beliefs among AFN actors: that state inspection helps, and HACCP hurts, small slaughter establishments. It also allows us to make a case for disaggregating governance tiers as we find that state inspection programs and HACCP have significant and opposite effects on the number of federally and non–federally inspected slaughter establishments. Our analysis supports the belief that state inspection is important to small slaughter establishments, but does not support the belief that HACCP has had a negative effect on them. Our conclusion is that agrifood scholars need to pay attention to different forms of governmental governance even with the increased focus on private and third-party certifications.
Toxicity and histopathology of the growth regulator pyriproxyfen to adults and eggs of the cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)

Adult cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouche), exposed continuously to pyriproxyfen died within 8-10 d. Microscopic examination of 7-d-old adults indicated death was caused by histopathological damage to fat body, Malpighian tubules, midgut epithelia, salivary gland cells, and other internal tissues. Fleas were killed by pyriproxyfen regardless of whether they were held as unfed adults on treated filter paper or as feeding adults on treated dog hair. In addition to these toxic effects on adults, pyriproxyfen also induced formation of large autophagic vacuoles in maturing oocytes leading to partial reabsorption of yolk, degeneration of the nucleus, and lysis of the follicular epithelium. Consequently, most of the eggs laid by treated fleas lacked a nucleus, had a poorly formed chorion, and were ruptured during ovulation. These laboratory results suggest that continuous exposure of fleas to pyriproxyfen on a host animal could prevent deposition of viable eggs and eventually kill adults, thereby controlling all stages of flea development.
Study on Relationship between Retention Rate and Dosage of Methadone Maintenance Treatment at Clinics in Guangdong

[Objective]To study the relationship between retention rate and dosage of methadone maintenance treat- ment (MMT) at clinics in Guangdong.[Methods]MMT data were collected with the management system from 35 MMT clinics in Guangdong.According to national regulation,the retention rate was defined as:the number of patients (received treatment at least once during last month)/the total number of patients×100.[Results]The average dosage per day was 44.6 ml (27.3 ml～76.9 ml)and average retention rate was 64.2% (24.4%～100.0%).The retention rate shown positive correlation with treatment dosage (r=0.377,P=0.028),and retention rate (%)=36.61+0.59×average treatment dosage(ml).[Conclusion]The average treatment dosage is at low level in Guangdong.MMT clinics and reten- tion rate is positive correlated with treatment dosage.Enhancing MMT dosage is necessary for increasing the retention rate.
Citing sources correctly.

The definitions and rules associated with plagiarism and copyright infringement can be difficult to interpret. In fact, it is possible to plagiarize or commit copyright infringement unknowingly simply because an author does not understand how to properly cite another person’s original idea or credit someone’s photograph. Authors can avoid these critical writing pitfalls by familiarizing themselves with some basic but essential rules concerning plagiarism, proper citation, and copyright law. This article introduces important rules of citation and copyright, but is not a comprehensive guide.
Plant Databases and Data Analysis Tools

It is anticipated that the coming years will see the generation of large datasets including diagnostic markers in several plant species with emphasis on crop plants. To use these datasets effectively in any breeding program, it is essential to have the information available via public databases. For some major crop species, databases exist including GrainGenes (for small grain cereals), Gramene (for rice and related grasses), MaizeGDB (for maize), SoyBase (for soybean), and the Sol Genomics Network (SGN; for tomato, potato, etc.) to name a few. These databases are both extensive and useful, and require constant improvement to meet the ever-changing needs of the scientists they seek to serve. This article is devoted to describing tools and resources that are currently available for use and outlines some lesser-known, unique repositories and tools that aim to meet the data management and analysis needs of breeders and other plant biologists.
Marketing and the Most Trusted Profession: The Invisible Interactions Between Registered Nurses and Industry

Concerns about conflicts of interest among health care workers have focused on interactions between industry representatives and prescribing clinicians. In this qualitative, ethnographic study, the...
De Pougy’s Innovative Courtesan Fiction

This chapter examines de Pougy’s Idylle saphique (1901) and Les Sensations de Mlle de la Bringue (1904) as intertexts that dialogue with Nana. In both works, de Pougy vividly depicts the dangers, harassment, humiliation, and psychological damage endured by sex workers, an important but harsh reality never described by Zola and his coterie. In addition to the counter-discourse in Idylle, de Pougy’s writing also serves as a form of therapy for working through trauma. In Sensations, de Pougy recounts her alter ego demi-mondaine’s rise to the top and subsequent retirement in Brittany, which is an optimistic ending on her part because it allows the courtesan heroine to not only avoid death but also escape the drudgery of prostitution.
Identifying the Uncertainty in Physician Practice Location through Spatial Analytics and Text Mining.

In response to the widespread concern about the adequacy, distribution, and disparity of access to a health care workforce, the correct identification of physicians’ practice locations is critical to access public health services. In prior literature, little effort has been made to detect and resolve the uncertainty about whether the address provided by a physician in the survey is a practice address or a home address. This paper introduces how to identify the uncertainty in a physician’s practice location through spatial analytics, text mining, and visual examination. While land use and zoning code, embedded within the parcel datasets, help to differentiate resident areas from other types, spatial analytics may have certain limitations in matching and comparing physician and parcel datasets with different uncertainty issues, which may lead to unforeseen results. Handling and matching the string components between physicians’ addresses and the addresses of the parcels could identify the spatial uncertainty and instability to derive a more reasonable relationship between different datasets. Visual analytics and examination further help to clarify the undetectable patterns. This research will have a broader impact over federal and state initiatives and policies to address both insufficiency and maldistribution of a health care workforce to improve the accessibility to public health services.
Inhibition of a Mixture of Crude Pseudomonas Lipases by Selected Emulsifiers.

Four commercial emulsifiers, sodium oleate, sodium stearate, sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate, and calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate, were evaluated for their effectiveness as inhibitors of Pseudomonas lipases. Each emulsifier was incubated at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0% concentrations with the individual as well as a mixture of the crude lipase extracts obtained from three Pseudomonas spp. ( P. fluorescens , P. putida , and P. cepacia ), in reconstituted nonfat dry milk (10%) for 30 min. At a 2% concentration, all emulsifiers tested were potent inhibitors (100%) of lipase activity. The effectiveness of lipolysis inhibition declined with decreasing emulsifier concentration. Sodium oleate demonstrated significant (P < 0.05) lipolysis inhibition at a 1% concentration regardless of initial lipase level. Synergism in inhibiting lipolytic activity between these selected emulsifiers was not evident.
Meeting the challenges of the new business universe through virtual collaborative learning

The world of virtual collaborative learning is now becoming the new norm throughout higher education in general, and at schools of business in particular. Under growing pressure from the business universe, business educators are in the process of radically altering the content and delivery of management education. Today, the business community is looking for web-savvy, problem-solving graduates who can immediately contribute upon joining the firm. To meet these and related financial issues, many schools of business are increasingly turning to the web as a vehicle for enhancing student learning opportunities and outcomes. Faculty engagement in this new learning zeitgeist is essential. The purpose of this paper is to highlight how virtual collaborative learning can be used to prepare students to meet the challenges of an uncertain job market and to outline strategies for implementing this revolutionary learning process throughout the management education community of practice.
Do Renin-Angiotensin Blockers Affect Renal Function and Cardiac Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Partial Nephrectomy?

Purpose: Currently no data exist to guide renal surgeons on the perioperative use of renin-angiotensin blockers despite potential cardiorenal benefits. We aimed to assess the impact of resuming renin-angiotensin blockers on postoperative renal function and adverse cardiac events following partial nephrectomy.Materials and Methods: This is an observational analysis of patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy from 2006 to 2014 at a single institution. The Wilcoxon rank sum and chi-square tests, and logistic regression were used to assess the risk of adverse renal and cardiac events stratified by history and pattern of renin-angiotensin blockade perioperatively.Results: We identified 900 patients with a median followup of 16.3 months (IQR 1.4–39.1). There were no significant differences in severe renal dysfunction at last followup on univariate analysis or adverse cardiac events at 30 days on multivariate analysis in patients stratified by a history of renin-angiotensin blockade...
A Case Series of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and burkitt lymphoma presenting with peritoneal lymphomatosis

Introduction Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) can occur at any site of the body, however diffuse and extensive involvement of the peritoneal cavity occurs rarely. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is one of the dominant histological subtypes in extra nodal lymphoma involving the peritoneal cavity while Burkitt lymphoma is seen less commonly. We report two cases of DLBCL and one case of Burkitt lymphoma presenting with peritoneal lymphomatosis (PL).