cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recognition of a new species of Carmenta from New Mexico supported by morphology and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I data (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae: Sesiinae: Synanthedonini)

A preliminary phylogeny of 36 species of Carmenta (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) was reconstructed based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I DNA sequences using parsimony and Bayesian inference in order to assess the placement of a suspected new species. Although the phylogeny was not completely resolved, there were well-supported species groups associated with geography. Based on these results and diagnostic morphological characters, Carmenta wildishorum, n. sp., is described and illustrated from the Cimarron Mountain Range in northeastern New Mexico. The new species is sister to C. texana with a 5.2% nucleotide difference between the two, which is similar to the distance between other Carmenta species and exceeds the intraspecific difference observed within C. texana (0.3%). The phylogeny also suggests additional hidden species diversity among Carmenta species that have large geographic distributions.
From Khrushchev and Brezhnev to Putin: Has Moscow’s Policy in the Middle East Come Full Circle?:

Russian under President Vladimir Putin has established a strong presence in the Middle East. In fact, in 2017, Russian involvement in the regional affairs is more pronounced. Putin has done his utm...
An interactive design method for realistic fruit rot modeling and simulation

This paper presents a general 3D method to simulate a rotting process in fruits using a visual model for the digital design of the fruits. The global rot parameter and rot resistance parameter are ...
The Evolution of Blue-Greens and the Origins of Chloroplasts

All of the available molecular data support the theory that the chloroplasts of eukaryote cells were originally free-living blue-greens. Of great interest is what the relationships are between contemporary types of blue-greens and eukaryote chloroplasts and whether the chloroplasts of the various eukaryotes are the result of one or more than one symbiosis. Combining information from phylogenetic trees based on cytochrome c6 and 2Fe-2S ferredoxin sequences, we show that the chloroplasts of a number of eukaryote algae as well as the protist Euglena are polyphyletic; the chloroplasts of green algae and the higher plants may be the result of a single symbiosis.
Improved Graph-Based Lambda Lifting.

Lambda lifting is a technique for transforming a program with local function definitions into a program consisting only of global function definitions. The best known lambda lifting algorithm computes the minimal set of extraneous parameters needed by each function in O(n) steps by solving a system of set equations which are recursive if the functions in the program are mutually recursive. Mutually recursive functions give rise to strongly connected components in the call graph of a program. Danvy and Schultz observed that all functions in a strongly connected component can be given the same set of free variables as extraneous parameters. Based on this observation, they developed an O(n) graph-based lambda lifting algorithm. This article illustrates how Danvy’s and Schultz’s algorithm is an approximation of Johnsson’s algorithm for a certain class of programs and describes an O(n) graph-based lambda lifting algorithm that yields the same results as Johnsson’s algorithm.
Sexual Functioning After Treatment for Early Stage Prostate Cancer

With recent advances in prostate cancer detection and treatment, the vast majority of men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer can expect long-term survival. Therefore, quality of life issues become important in selecting the appropriate therapeutic approach. Sexual function can be adversely affected by the only available curative treatment modalities: radical prostatectomy, external beam radiation therapy and interstitial brachytherapy. The pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction after surgery and radiation therapy are reviewed. Reports documenting rates of erectile dysfunction after treatment among men potent prior to treatment are described. Management options for patients who become impotent after surgery or radiation therapy are outlined. Future avenues of research to decrease the rates of potency loss with modern treatment techniques are suggested.
A FILOSOFIA EM SEUS EXTREMOS: DE PLATÃO A MERLEAU-PONTY

Este ensaio aborda possiveis aproximacoes e afastamento entre as filosofias de Platao e de Merleau-Ponty, especialmente entre a fundacao de uma ontologia inteligivel em Platao e a inauguracao de uma ontologia sensivel ou selvagem em M. Merleau-Ponty.
Clostridium perfringens empyema in a patient with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the lung

We report a rare case of Clostridium perfringens (CP) empyema in a patient with metastatic squamous cell cancer of the lung. Clostridial empyemas are rare and clinically variable with some reports noting consequent necrotizing infections and septic shock and others noting quick resolution with source control and antibiotic treatment. This is the first case report to our knowledge to report a CP empyema in a patient with lung malignancy. Given the comorbid lung malignancy, the patient's presenting symptoms were mild with only mild shortness of breath, fevers, and generalized weakness despite the large CP empyema. Early antibiotics and source control with daily drainage of the pleural fluid allowed for successful management, circumventing a complex critical care course and successful management without ambulatory oxygen therapy on discharge.
Variability of PROMIS Scores Across Hand Conditions.

Purpose This study aimed to determine whether Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function and Pain Interference scores varied at presentation for specialty care by nontrauma hand condition. The secondary aim was to compare PROMIS scores with a reference standard, the Quick –Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand ( Quick DASH), regarding the magnitude and direction of score differentials among diagnoses. Methods PROMIS Physical Function and Pain Interference scores were analyzed from 1,471 consecutive new adult patient clinic visits at a tertiary orthopedic hand clinic presenting with 1 of 5 nontrauma hand conditions. A 5-point difference on PROMIS assessments was presumed to be clinically relevant. A random sample of 30 Quick DASH scores from each diagnostic group was evaluated for score differentials among groups. We also measured the correlation between PROMIS and Quick DASH scores. Results Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and thumb basal joint arthritis reported worse physical function and more pain interference, whereas those with Dupuytren contractures and ganglion cysts reported less pain and better function. For both domains, patients with trigger fingers averaged PROMIS scores among the other groups. Similar differences were observed in Quick DASH scores because patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and thumb arthritis reported clinically worse upper-extremity function than did patients with ganglion cysts and Dupuytren contracture. A strong correlation was seen between Quick DASH scores with both PROMIS Physical Function scores and Pain Interference scores. Conclusions The PROMIS system is sufficiently able to capture differences in self-reported function and pain interference among patients with different hand conditions. Moreover, PROMIS Physical Function demonstrates construct validity when evaluated against a reference of the Quick DASH across nontrauma hand conditions. Clinical relevance The use of PROMIS is expanding, but because PROMIS is not disease-specific, assessment of its construct validity is necessary for hand conditions.
The relative toxicity of brodifacoum enantiomers.

Abstract Brodifacoum (BDF) is a potent, long-acting anticoagulant rodenticide that can cause fatal poisoning in humans. The chemical structure of BDF includes 2 chiral carbons, resulting in 2 pairs of diastereomers, BDF-cis (R/S and S/R) and BDF-trans (R/R and S/S). However, the relative potency of these molecules is not known. The purpose of this study was to compare the in vitro and in vivo toxic effects of the 2 BDF diastereomer pairs. In adult Sprague-Dawley rats BDF-cis was significantly more toxic than BDF-trans (LD50 values of 219 versus 316 μg/kg, respectively) while racemic BDF had intermediate potency (266 μg/kg). In adult New Zealand white rabbits, BDF-cis had a longer half-life than BDF-trans which could contribute to its observed increased toxicity. Lastly, BDF-cis (10 μM), but not BDF-trans, damaged cultured SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells by attenuating mitochondrial reductive capacity. Taken together, these data suggest that different toxic manifestations of BDF poisoning in mammals could be attributed, in part, to differences in relative enantiomer concentrations present in racemic formulations of this commercially-available toxicant.
Computational Investigation and Experimental Realization of Disordered High-Capacity Li-Ion Cathodes Based on Ni Redox

In cation-disordered rocksalt Li-ion cathode materials, an excess of Li with respect to the transition metal content is necessary for the creation of percolating pathways for Li transport. Because of the lower amount of redox-active transition metal, a substantial part of the charge transfer must occur via less reversible oxygen redox. Fluorination can be used to minimize this dependence on oxygen redox by increasing the amount of low-valent transition metal in the compound, but it adds complexity to materials design. Here, we investigate the feasibility of using computationally constructed phase diagrams to facilitate the search for optimal oxyfluorides. We use the phase diagram of LiF–Li3NbO4–NiO to identify Li1.13Ni0.57Nb0.3O1.75F0.25 and Li1.19Ni0.59Nb0.22O1.46F0.54 as two promising compositions and demonstrate that they can be successfully synthesized. These compounds exhibit significantly reduced hysteresis and higher energy density than the previously reported Li1.3Ni0.27Nb0.43O2 compound in this s...
A coupled reaction–diffusion–strain model predicts cranial vault formation in development and disease

How cells utilize instructions provided by genes and integrate mechanical forces generated by tissue growth to produce morphology is a fundamental question of biology. Dermal bones of the vertebrate cranial vault are formed through the direct differentiation of mesenchymal cells on the neural surface into osteoblasts through intramembranous ossification. Here we join a self-organizing Turing mechanism, computational biomechanics, and experimental data to produce a 3D representative model of the growing cerebral surface, cranial vault bones, and sutures. We show how changes in single parameters regulating signaling during osteoblast differentiation and bone formation may explain cranial vault shape variation in craniofacial disorders. A key result is that toggling a parameter in our model results in closure of a cranial vault suture, an event that occurred during evolution of the cranial vault and that occurs in craniofacial disorders. Our approach provides an initial and important step toward integrating biomechanics into the genotype phenotype map to explain the production of variation in head morphology by developmental mechanisms.
The Integrative Psychiatry Curriculum: Development of an Innovative Model:

The Integrative Psychiatry Curriculum (IPC) was developed to train psychiatry residents and fellows to apply an Integrative Medicine (IM) approach for patients presenting with psychiatric disorders. Launched in 2015, IPC includes interactive online courses, in-person experiential sessions, and a clinical component with supervision. Twenty-one residents and fellows have completed the curriculum. The purpose of the IPC is 2-fold: to enhance patient wellness through training residents and fellows in evidence-based whole-person care and to improve physician well-being through enhanced stress management and self-awareness utilizing the practice of mind-body skills within a supportive small group setting. Course participants are trained in a broad range of prevention and treatment options and learn about their evidence base; they then practice incorporating IM into diagnosis and treatment plans through supervised clinical experience. This article describes the development of IPC and its elements. Efforts are underway to further develop and standardize the offerings and increase the portability of the course, making it easier for Psychiatry training programs with limited faculty expertise in IM to provide the curriculum for residents and fellows. To reach the goal of disseminating such a curriculum for integrative psychiatry, further funding and collaboration with multiple residency training programs is needed.
Thinking Globally, Acting Locally - The U.S. Response to Covid-19.

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally The defining feature of the U.S. response to Covid-19 has been localized action against a global threat. Under our federalist system, what more can the federal gov...
FMT in IBS: a call for caution.

In addition to the excellent commentary1 accompanying the very intriguing randomised controlled trial on the efficacy of faecal microbial transplantation (FMT) from a single super donor in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by El-Salhy et al ,2 allow me to provide additional insights on efficacy and safety that call for caution in applying FMT to the treatment of IBS. The randomised controlled trial of FMT documents a higher proportion of IBS-symptom severity score responders (defined as a reduction of 50 points on a 500 point scale)3 in patients treated with 30 g and 60 g FMT delivered via upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. However, …
A seat at the table: addressing validity from critical perspective

This essay argues that those who create and consume research from a critical perspective should be concerned with issues of validity. An analysis of National and International Communication associa...
The clinical utility of the cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) in university-level athletes with concussion.

Concussion is defined as a mild traumatic brain injury that can occur in all sport activities. Cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) are accepted to demonstrate the vestibulocollic reflex. To evaluate subclinical cervical abnormalities in the vestibulospinal pathway in subjects with concussion history with and without related symptoms via evoked vestibular potential. Monaurally air conduction cVEMP (500 Hz tone bursts) at intensity of 100 dBnHL and 200 sweeps. All responses were replicated. One hundred fifty-four participants were initially tested; however, three (03) participants did not produce usable data (no response) and were eliminated for the dataset cutoff values analysis, being considered just as abnormal response. One hundred fifty-one responses consisted of 45 non-athlete individuals without any history of a concussion or concussion symptoms (normative group), 45 athletes without any history of a concussion or concussion symptoms (control group), 33 athletes with a history of at least one concussion but no concussion symptoms related (history group), and 28 athletes with a history of at least one concussion and concussion symptoms (symptoms group). The history and symptoms groups had statistically higher latency scores than the control and the normative groups. The Index Ratio data and Threshold data did not produce a significant effect for four groups. But, a pattern of abnormal cVEMP was found when comparing those without a history of concussion (0% abnormal response) versus the history group (24%) and symptoms group (32.3%). The study provides data which supports the positive impact of cVEMP when evaluating athletes and identifying concussion processes.
Echocardiographic Molecular Imaging of the Effect of Anticytokine Therapy for Atherosclerosis.

Background Echocardiographic molecular imaging techniques are beginning to be applied to evaluate preclinical efficacy of new drugs. In a large clinical trial, anti-interleukin-1β (IL-1β) immunotherapy reduced atherosclerotic events, yet treatment effects were modest, and the mechanisms of action were not fully elucidated. We tested the hypothesis that echocardiographic molecular imaging can assess changes in vascular thromboinflammatory status in response to anti-IL-1β therapy. Methods In wild-type and atherosclerotic mice deficient for the low-density lipoprotein-receptor and Apobec-1, closed-chest myocardial infarction (MI) was performed to mimic high-risk clinical cohorts. Control animals had sham surgery. Post-MI animals were randomized to either no therapy or anti-IL-1β immunotherapy, which was continued weekly. At post-MI day 3 or 21, in vivo ultrasound molecular imaging of aortic VCAM-1, P-selectin, von Willebrand factor A1-domain, and platelet GPIbα in the thoracic aorta was performed. Aortic histology and NF-κB activity were assessed in atherosclerotic mice. Results In both atherosclerotic and wild-type mice, MI produced a several-fold increase (P Conclusions Echocardiographic molecular imaging of the vascular endothelium can quantify the beneficial effects of therapies designed to suppress the proatherosclerotic arterial thromboinflammatory effects of alarmins such as IL-1β. This approach could potentially be used to evaluate the biologic variables that influence response in preclinical studies, and possibly to select patients most likely to benefit from therapy.
Segmented Going-Public Markets and the Demand for SPACs

This paper provides a unified explanation for the existence, time-series variation, and recent boom of the Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). We begin by documenting four empirical patterns regarding U.S. SPACs: (1) SPAC issuance boomed in 2007 prior to the Global Financial Crisis and accelerated from 2015 to 2020. (2) The market share of SPACs is strongly positively correlated with equity market sentiment. (3) SPAC operating firms are smaller, younger, and riskier at the moment of going public than firms that IPO traditionally. (4) SPAC firms grow at similar or even higher rates compared to IPO firms in the three years after going public. We develop a theoretical framework of segmented going-public markets that can jointly explain these facts. Our model demonstrates that the SPAC and IPO market structures generate differing incentives for intermediaries in the two markets. SPAC sponsors act as non-bank certification intermediaries and match yield-seeking investors with smaller and riskier operating firms, while investment banks take larger and safer operating firms public in the traditional IPO market. Finally, given these findings, we discuss the importance of aligning sponsors with long-term investors and provide recommendations for an improved SPAC structure.
Optical physics-based methodology for quantifying Bruch’s membrane with visible light OCT

Bruch’s membrane (BM) is a pentalaminar structure that mediates transport between the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choriocapillaris. With near-infrared Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), it has been challenging to visualize, let alone quantify, BM non-invasively in non-pathologic eyes. First, we show that shorter wavelength visible light OCT consistently delineates BM better than longer wavelength visible light OCT in pigmented human subjects, independent of axial resolution. Second, we develop a physical model of RPE and BM reflectivity to explain this finding. Third, we employ this model to devise a morphometric algorithm to more accurately map BM thickness in the normal macula.
Spatiotemporal Variability in Sedimentation Drives Habitat Loss on Restored Subtidal Oyster Reefs

Restored oyster reefs enhance commercial harvests and ecosystem services in coastal environments. Spatial and temporal changes in habitat availability can affect reef persistence and restoration benefits, and understanding how construction and location of a restored habitat influence its persistence over time is key to optimizing restoration efforts. The short-term persistence of six subtidal restored oyster reefs in Pamlico Sound, NC, USA was characterized by sidescan sonar and bathymetric mapping conducted immediately after restoration in August 2016 and again 21 months later in May 2018. A U-net convolutional neural network architecture was trained to classify reef pixels within the sonar imagery using image-based and image-texture features calculated from gray-level co-occurrence matrices. Oyster reef restoration used shell and limestone marl to construct flat substrates, with only a few 10’s of centimeters of local relief, spread over areas of ~3000–12,000 m2. All six reefs provided habitat for the settlement and growth of oyster populations, but this role changed as reefs underwent varying degrees of sediment burial between surveys. Reefs constructed in relatively low-energy environments lost ~18–35% of their substrate area, primarily by deposition of sediment along their margins. Reefs having greater sediment supply and greater exposure to predominant winds and currents were most susceptible to burial and became heavily fragmented with ~50–65% of the restored habitat lost. Sediment dynamics appear to exert a controlling influence on the success of these reefs, and oyster restoration sites in high-energy environments may have limited long-term economic and ecosystem benefits.
Radiation recall dermatitis following letrozole administration in patient with a remote history of radiation therapy

We report the case of letrozole-induced radiation recall dermatitis (RRD) in a patient with a remote history of radiation therapy. There is only one previously known case of RRD triggered by letrozole in a patient with a recent (<3 month) history of radiation. Previously, only four other cases of aromatase-inhibitor-induced RRD have been reported. This case is significant for cancer care teams considering personalized treatments. In addition, improved long-term outcomes in cancer patients may lead to increases in and underdiagnoses of RRD. Likewise, RRD is patient specific, exacerbating health concerns, and can be difficult to recognize without proper awareness, documentation, and classification of triggering drugs. The authors hope to address these issues in this report.
The antidiabetic drug acarbose suppresses age-related lesions in C57BL/6 mice in an organ dependent manner

Acarbose (Acb) is an antidiabetic drug used to reduce blood glucose by inhibiting the conversion of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars. It has also shown promise as an anti-aging drug by increasing lifespan in mice but studies have not been reported on the effects of short-term treatment in aging mice. To address this question, 20-month-old C57BL/6 male and female mice were given a standard diet, or a diet supplemented with 1000 ppm Acb for 3 months. After this period, mice were assessed for age-related lesions as readouts for the delay in the progression of aging. Results showed there was a significant decrease in lesions of the heart and kidney in mice treated with Acb suggesting that Acb can suppress cardiac and renal pathology associated with increasing age. Keywords: Age-related lesions, acarbose, aging intervention, geropathology
Covariate Shift in High-Dimensional Random Feature Regression.

A significant obstacle in the development of robust machine learning models is covariate shift, a form of distribution shift that occurs when the input distributions of the training and test sets differ while the conditional label distributions remain the same. Despite the prevalence of covariate shift in real-world applications, a theoretical understanding in the context of modern machine learning has remained lacking. In this work, we examine the exact high-dimensional asymptotics of random feature regression under covariate shift and present a precise characterization of the limiting test error, bias, and variance in this setting. Our results motivate a natural partial order over covariate shifts that provides a sufficient condition for determining when the shift will harm (or even help) test performance. We find that overparameterized models exhibit enhanced robustness to covariate shift, providing one of the first theoretical explanations for this intriguing phenomenon. Additionally, our analysis reveals an exact linear relationship between in-distribution and out-of-distribution generalization performance, offering an explanation for this surprising recent empirical observation.
Book Note: The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier

In 1989 and 1990, federal and state agents across the United States conducted a massive dragnet operation against the nation's computer underground. Author Bruce Sterling describes the personalities and institutions behind this operation, conducing interviews with hackers, telecommunications company employees, law enforcement officials and civil libertarians.
Genome Mining for Fungal Secondary Metabolic Gene Clusters

Fungi are known for their ability to produce a vast array of valuable chemical compounds, which are utilized in biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry. In this chapter, we outline recent advances in the development of genomic and bioinformatics resources for the discovery of genes involved in natural product biosynthesis, focusing on the major natural product classes: polyketides, nonribosomal peptides, and terpenes. These groups of compounds are all produced from simple, scaffold molecules that are further modified to create a diverse portfolio of bioactive products. Biosynthetic clusters of genes responsible for the production of these compounds are prolific in fungal systems and typically include key scaffold-producing enzymes and a multitude of modification enzymes. This chapter highlights how the recent explosion in bioinformatics tools and genomic resources can be applied to mining fungal genomes for the novel natural product biosynthetic pathways, providing key examples of well-studied fungal biosynthetic gene clusters.
Role of Newspaper Publishers in the Economy of Cumberland & Dauphin Counties

Newspaper publishers are an important part of the history and economy of Cumberland and Dauphin counties in Pennsylvania. The newspaper publishing industry creates jobs and compensation for workers and generates tax revenues in the counties.
Identifying Risk Factors for Webserver Compromise

We describe a case-control study to identify risk factors that are associated with higher rates of webserver compromise. We inspect a random sample of around 200 000 webservers and automatically identify attributes hypothesized to affect the susceptibility to compromise, notably content management system (CMS) and webserver type. We then cross-list this information with data on webservers hacked to serve phishing pages or redirect to unlicensed online pharmacies. We find that webservers running WordPress and Joomla are more likely to be hacked than those not running any CMS, and that servers running Apache and Nginx are more likely to be hacked than those running Microsoft IIS. Furthermore, using a series of logistic regressions, we find that a CMS’s market share is positively correlated with website compromise. Finally, we examine the link between webservers running outdated software and being compromised. Contrary to conventional wisdom, we find that servers running outdated versions of WordPress (the most popular CMS platform) are less likely to be hacked than those running more recent versions. We present evidence that this may be explained by the low install base of outdated software.
Targeted ablation of afferent renal nerves by periaxonal capsaicin abolishes the reno-renal reflex

Recent clinical findings report targeted renal sympathetic denervation (RDNx) as a novel therapy to treat cardiovascular diseases. However, the contribution of ablation of afferent vs. efferent nerves in mediating responses to RDNx is unclear. Foss and colleagues have reported a novel method for afferent-specific RDNx by periaxonal application of capsaicin (CAP), which may have an anti-hypertensive effect. However, functional confirmation of CAP remains untested. To this end, we aimed to test the ability of CAP to block the reno-renal reflex. Male Sprague Dawley rats (275-300g) underwent unilateral (left) CAP (n=4) or sham (n=5) procedure. Acute experimentation was performed 3-5 days post-operation. Under 2% isoflurane, the left femoral artery and vein were cannulated for arterial pressure (AP) measurement and saline infusion (150mM; 50ul/min), respectively. Each renal pelvis was cannulated to control pelvic pressure and collect urine. After a 90-minute stabilization, urine flow from the right kidney was ...
Reconstruction-Based Subband Image Coding for UDP Transmissions over the Internet

Quality-delay trade-offs can be made in transmitting subband-coded images in the Internet by using either the TCP or the UDP protocol. Delivery by TCP gives superior decoding quality but with very long delays when the network is unreliable, whereas delivery by UDP has negligible delays but with degraded quality when packets are lost. Although images are delivered primarily by TCP today, we study in this paper the use of UDP to deliver multi-description reconstruction-based subband-coded images and the reconstruction of missing information at the receiver based on information received. We first determine empirically the interleaving factors that should be used in order to keep the probability of unrecoverable packet losses sufficiently small. Next, we propose a joint sender-receiver approach for designing transforms in multi-description subband coding. In the receiver, we use a simple interpolation-based reconstruction algorithm, as sophisticated concealment techniques cannot be employed in practice. In the sender, we design an optimized reconstruction-based subband transform (ORB-ST), with an objective of minimizing the mean squared error, assuming that some of the descriptions are lost and that the missing information is reconstructed by simple averaging at the destination. Experimental results show that our proposed ORB-ST performs well in real Internet tests, and UDP delivery of MDC images is an attractive alternative to TCP delivery.
1,2-Dimethylhydrazine-induced Methylation of DNA Bases in Various Rat Organs and the Effect of Pretreatment with Disulfiram

Abstract The extent and persistence of methylated purines were determined in DNA of various rat organs following a single s.c. injection of 1,2-di[ 14 C]methylhydrazine. Maximum alkylation of purine bases occurred within 12 hr, with highest concentrations in liver, followed by colon, ileum, and kidney. Over a period of 3 days, O 6 -methylguanine was removed much more slowly from colon, the principal target organ for carcinogenesis, than from ileum or liver DNA. Dietary pretreatment of rats with disulfiram is known to prevent 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon carcinogenesis and was found to reduce DNA alkylation to less than 1% of that detected in animals treated with 1,2-di[ 14 C]methylhydrazine alone.
Institutional Stock Sales and Takeovers: The Disciplinary Role of Voting with Your Feet

Can institutional stock sales influence firm governance? Theory suggests that informed selling is likely to depress prices and disperse shareholding. Combined, both effects can influence firm governance by facilitating takeovers. I formalize this hypothesis and test its predictions using data on firms that undertake large acquisitions. Using acquisitions to identify firms with potential agency problems, I relate trading by the largest institutional block holder in the post acquisition period to subsequent firm performance and changes in firm governance. The main findings are: (i) Trading by the largest block holder predicts post acquisition stock performance; (ii) controlling for performance, block holder selling increases takeover probability by over 35%; (iii) small firms with more liquid stock are likely to become targets and (iv) there is evidence that the block holder is aware of the takeover possibility before the market. The findings are robust to alternate specifications, alternate samples, and provide a rationale for the observed preference of management and board of directors to retain institutional shareholders.
Every Woman Is a World: Interviews with Women of Chiapas

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Gayle Walker and Kiki Suarez Year: 2008 Pages: 242 Publisher: University of Texas Press ISBN: 978-0-292-71790-9 (hard cover). Prices: $60.00 USD(hard cover).
Processing and evaluation of bioactive coatings on polymeric implants

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a high-performance polymer with advantages over metallic biomaterials for application in spinal implants. In this study, hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings were deposited onto PEEK substrates using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering for the purpose of improving bioactivity. An intermediate coating layer of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) was first deposited onto the PEEK substrates to provide heat shielding during subsequent post-deposition heat treatment to prevent degradation of PEEK substrates and coating/substrate interface. Plasma activation of the PEEK substrate surfaces before deposition resulted in a significant increase in coating adhesion strength. Post-deposition heat treatments of microwave and hydrothermal annealing were studied with the goal of forming crystalline HA without the use of high temperatures required in conventional annealing. Microstructural and compositional analyses by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction revealed that the YSZ layer exhibited a crystalline structure as-deposited, with columnar grains oriented along the growth direction, whereas the HA layer was shown to be amorphous as-deposited. After microwave annealing, the HA coating exhibited a columnar crystalline microstructure, similar to that of the underlying YSZ crystalline layer; XRD analysis confirmed a crystalline HA phase in the coating. It is suggested that the existence of the crystalline YSZ layer aids in the formation of the HA layer upon heating, possibly lowering the activation energy for crystallization by providing nucleation sites for HA grain formation. Cell culture tests showed a significant increase in initial cell attachment and growth on the microwave-annealed coatings, compared with uncoated PEEK and amorphous HA surfaces.
Retropubic urethrocystopexy: vaginal approach.

Abstract A modification of the classic Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz (MMK) operation which includes suspending the urethrovesical junction to the pubis by the vaginal approach is presented. This offers the advantages of a shorter operating time, the lack of an abdominal incision, and the concomitant repair of other pelvic anatomic defects through the vagina, with a cure rate at least equal to, if not better than, that associated with the abdominal route. The study group of 25 patients had less morbidity, a 1-day decrease in hospital stay, and 1 1 / 2 fewer days of catheter drainage compared to a matched control group of MMK operations done abdominally in this preliminary report. A 96% cure and improvement rate of the symptoms of stress incontinence was shown at the 6-week postoperative visit. This compares to a 92% rate in the control series of abdominal MMKs. The permanency of the procedure will have to be evaluated critically as more cases are added and sufficient time elapses to see if these good initial results hold up.
Spinal laminae I-II neurons in rat recorded in vivo in whole cell, tight seal configuration: properties and opioid responses.

Using the in vivo whole cell recording procedure described previously, we recorded 73 neurons in laminae I and II in the lumbar spinal cord of the rat. Input impedances averaged 332 MΩ, which indic...
Lichen traits and species as indicators of vegetation and environment

Abstract Lichens in the Arctic play important ecological roles. They also face the threats of increasing fire and shrub and tree expansion, exacerbated or caused by climate change. These forces may lead to changes not only in lichen community composition but also in the abundance, diversity and distribution of lichen functional traits. We sought to connect landscape-scale patterns of lichen community composition and traits to environmental gradients to both monitor lichen communities and clarify community-trait-environment relationships. We measured lichens throughout one of the largest and most remote U.S. National Parks within the Arctic. We then analyzed lichen community composition and species richness within ecologically informative lichen trait groups along environmental and vascular vegetation gradients. Macrolichen species richness in 0.4 ha plots averaged 41 species with a total landscape level observed gamma diversity of 262 macrolichen species. Jackknife estimators placed the landscape level ma...
Alternative developmental pathways determined by environmental conditions in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum

The cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum grows in the soil as a population of independent, uninucleate amoebae. Upon entrance to the stationary phase, the amoebae collect in multicellular aggregates to form organized fruiting bodies composed of spores and stalk cells. Depending upon environmental conditions, the developing aggregate either constructs the fruiting body at the site of aggregation or transforms into a structure that can migrate to a more favorable location. Environmental conditions that favor migration are (i) the accumulation of metabolite(s) produced by the aggregate and (ii) a low ionic strength in the substratum. Conditions that prevent migration or that stop a migrating slug are (i) the presence of buffer and (ii) illumination by overhead light.
Essay Reviews: The Hidden Message in Anti-Violence Public Service Announcements

In this essay, George Gerbner reviews eight television public service announcements (PSAs) that deal with urban violence and are produced by the media conglomerate HBO/Time Warner. Gerbner couches his critique of the PSAs in terms of the historical tension between the commercial nature of television in the United States and broadcasters' mandated role to serve the public. In creating a framework to understand the anti-violence PSAs, Gerbner broadens the discussion to include both the media industry in the United States and the demand for violence television programming in the international marketplace. Although he acknowledges the high production value of the PSAs, Gerbner contends that the race, age, and gender of the characters, as well as the situations depicted, constitute a hidden message of stereotyped violence. Gerbner argues that the images portrayed in the PSAs reflect the type of violence that is presented by the television industry itself, not the kinds of violence that may actually exists in t...
Size Induction Transcends the Cardinal Directions of Color Space

Certain psychophysical phenomena occur separately for color and for luminance stimulation. Separate psychophysical effects have also been elicited along different directions in equiluminant colour space. Whereas in most studies in which separate luminance and color effects have been reported the authors have used successive-adaptation approaches, less is known about the separateness of color and luminance processing under simultaneous conditions. A study is reported in which simultaneous size induction was examined for several different color directions thought to be ‘cardinal’ for early stages of processing. The perceived size of a test object was influenced by the size of the surrounding objects regardless of the color direction of the test and induction objects. The results indicate that simultaneous size induction occurs at a level of processing at which information conveyed by color and by luminance mechanisms is compared and contrasted to influence visual perception.
CNS Regeneration: Only on One Condition

The mammalian CNS is usually not capable of regeneration. However, conditioning dorsal root ganglion neurons by first lesioning their peripheral axons allows for regeneration of their central axons later on within the spinal cord. New work shows that, even if the sequence of lesioning is reversed, regeneration through the CNS lesion can rapidly occur under certain conditions.
Annual Medics and Berseem Clover as Emergency Forages

Severe winter-kill of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in some years prompts the need for emergency forages in northern locations. Three annual medic species-barrel medic (M. truncatula Gaertn. cv. Mogul), burr medic (M. polymorpha L. cv. Santiago), and snail medic [M. scutellata (L.) Mill. cv. Sava]-and berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L. cv. Bigbee) and 'Nitro' alfalfa were seeded in early spring at East Lansing and the Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) in Michigan in 1994 and 1995. Forage mass was measured at first harvest 60 d after planting and at second harvest 30 d later. Forage mass of annual medics at first harvest ranged from 0.8 to 3.6 Mg ha -1 across locations and years. Berseem clover produced an average forage mass of 2.2 Mg ha -1 at first harvest, which was similar to alfalfa. Crude protein (CP) concentration of annual medics, berseem, and alfalfa ranged from 111 to 210, 178 to 233, and 170 to 218 g kg -1 , respectively, at first harvest. Regrowth of annual medics (except Mogul) was less than alfalfa or berseem clover; however, the regrowth of Mogul was decumbent and not suitable as hay. Average forage mass and CP concentration of berseem at second harvest was 1.8 Mg ha -1 and 191 g kg -1 , respectively, which was similar to alfalfa. Our results indicate that both annual medics and berseem clover can be used as emergency forages in northern locations; however, annual medics have the potential for only one harvest, whereas berseem can be harvested twice during the growing season.
Feasibility of Highly Constrained Muscle Force Predictions for the Knee During Gait

Accurate assessment of human muscle forces during walking could significantly aid in the analysis and treatment of common neuromusculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis [1], stroke, and cerebral palsy. However, the inability to measure muscle forces in vivo along with the inability to calculate muscle forces directly has greatly hindered achievement of this goal. Due to its complexity, the knee is a particularly difficult joint for assessing in vivo muscle forces.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Use of oral sedatives in horses.

DOMOSEDAN Gel (Elanco) is a powerful oromucosal sedative used by horse owners, on prescription from veterinary surgeons, to sedate horses and ponies for procedures such as coat-clipping and farriery. The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has recently raised concerns regarding operator and paraprofessional safety …
Identifying and characterizing recently transmitted viruses.

Purpose of review Improvements in sequencing approaches and robust mathematical modeling have dramatically increased information on viral genetics during acute infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection, providing unprecedented insight into viral transmission and viral/immune Interactions.
A paleoslope model of Campanian to lower Maestrichtian foraminifera in the North American basin and adjacent continental margin

Campanian to early Maestrichtian benthic foraminiferal assemblages of the New Jersey and Delaware coastal plain and the Baltimore Canyon Trough contain distinct bathymetric biofacies each occurring in adjacent settings to one another in a profile downdip toward the North American basin. The assemblages are interpreted as representing inner shelf to uppermost middle bathyal environments of deposition (10 to 500 m water depth). A unique biofacies which consists of predominantly arenaceous foraminifera in a lithology of dark lignitic shales is present in restricted intervals within the Baltimore Canyon region. This biofacies probably developed under oxygen deficient conditions in middle shelf to upper bathyal paleodepths. Within the North American basin, benthic foraminifers from Campanian to lower Maestrichtian sections at various DSDP sites indicate that deposition took place in middle bathyal to abyssal environments (500 m to more than 3000 m paleodepth). A complete paleoslope profile (shelf to abyssal) is identified within the North American basin and adjacent continental margin. The foraminiferal composition of this paleoslope is as follows:Gavelinella nelsoni, G. pinguis, Lenticulina pseudosecans, Cibicides harperi andPullenia americana characterize shore-face to inner shelf regions of 10 to 50 m water depth. Species that show maximum development in middle shelf environments (50 to 100 m water depth) includeClavulina trilatera, Hoeglundina supracretacea and nodosariids. In the outer shelf, 100–200 m water depth,Praebulimina carseyae, Gavelinella compressa, G. spissocostata, Coryphostoma plaitum andPullenia jarvisi predominate. The upper bathyal environment of 200–500 m water depth is characterized by species such asArenobulimina subspherica, Dorothia oxycona, Verneuilina dickinsonensis, n. sp.,Stensioina exculpta gracilis andGyroidinoides globosus. Pullenia cretacea, Gavelinella ammonoides, G. whitei, G. intermedia, Praebulimina reussi, P. cushmani, Pleurostomella subnodosa andStilostomella pseudoscripta are species common to the middle bathyal environment of 500 to 1500 m water depth. Species that characterize lower bathyal environments (1500 to 2500 m water depth) includeAragonia velascoensis, Reussella szajnochae, Osangularia utaturensis, Clavulina gabonica, Tritaxia aspera andSpiroplectammina dentata. Many of the middle and lower bathyal indicator species extend into the abyssal realm (2500 m water depth) where they are associated with more abundant species such asAragonia ouezzanensis, Reussella pseudospinulosa, Hyperammina elongata, Rhizammina indivisa andSaccammina complanata. The resulting paleoslope model allows a more critical evaluation of the role played by benthic foraminiferal species in shelf, slope and abyssal environments. It also enhances the accuracy of estimating paleobathymetry especially in shelf regions of the Campanian to early Maestrichtian.
Metamaterial immersion lenses

We propose and demonstrate metamaterial immersion lenses (MILs) by shaping the interfaces of plasmonic metamaterials. The MILs can achieve super resolution and can be easily integrated with conventional optical systems.
A computational study of the hydrolysis of dGTP analogues with halomethylene-modified leaving groups in solution: implications for the mechanism of DNA polymerases.

DNA polymerases make up a family of enzymes responsible for regulating DNA replication and repair, which in turn maintains the integrity of the genome. However, despite intensive kinetic, crystallographic, and computational studies, elucidation of the detailed enzymatic mechanism still presents a significant challenge. We recently developed an alternative strategy for exploring the fidelity and mechanism of DNA polymerases, by probing leaving group effects on nucleotidyl transfer using a series of dGTP bisphosphonate analogues in which the β,γ-bridging oxygen was replaced by a series of substituted methylene groups (X = CYZ, where Y and Z = H, halogen, or another substituent). Pre-steady state kinetic measurements of DNA polymerase-catalyzed incorporation of correctly base paired (R) and mispaired (W) analogues demonstrated a strong linear free energy relationship (LFER) between the polymerase rate constant (kpol) and the highest pKa of the free bisphosphonic acid corresponding to the leaving group. Howev...
Overview of alternatives to CFCs for domestic refrigerators and freezers

Abstract Most domestic refrigerators and freezers use CFC-11 as the blowing agent for the polyurethane foam which insulates and provides structural support for the appliance. CFC-12 is used as the refrigerant. Alternatives for both CFC-11 and CFC-12 are presented, along with an outline of the technical problems that must be solved in order to successfully apply each alternative. Since tough new product energy standards for products sold in the United States are likely to be introduced in the early 1990s, the energy efficiency of each alternative is closely examined.