cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Transgenic Crops on Non-target Organisms

A non-monitored cultivation of transgenic crops can potentially have adverse effects on animal biodiversity when the transgenic plants or their expressed products negatively impact the organisms that are not intended to be the targets that need to be controlled. Agro-ecosystems house a diverse array of species above and below the cultivated ground that can come in contact with the cultivated plants and their metabolites. When a transgenic crop intended for pest control is planted in the field, the resulting effect on the agro-ecosystem cannot exclude the rest of the species in the habitat non-intended to be harmed by the transgenics, and these are defined as the non-target species. The present review summarizes the possible effects of transgenic plants on non-target species in agro-ecosystems with a focus on possible strategies to minimize the unintended effects of transgenic crop cultivation on animal biodiversity, while complementing the efforts of integrated pest management.
Differing Views of Lodging Reality: Airdna, STR, and Airbnb:

Airbnb is an Internet-based firm that connects potential short-term renters with hosts who own or control rental properties. Its rapidly expanding activities are tracked by Airdna, an independent f...
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for acute myeloid leukemia: how close to reality?

The approval of the anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell product tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah®) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for relapsed pediatric B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) was a landmark event in acute leukemia therapy. The approval was based on data from a phase II global trial in which 75 pediatric and young adult B-ALL patients received tisagenlecleucel, demonstrating safety, feasibility and biological response, with complete remissions (CR) at three months in 81% of patients, and event-free survival rates of 73% and 50% at six and 12 months, respectively.1 A detailed summary of the design and basic biology of CAR T cells was recently published, providing an excellent summary of the history and the current state of the field of CAR T-cell therapy for the treatment of malignant diseases.2 Unfortunately, the successes of CAR T cells in treating B-ALL have not yet been translated to the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), where progress has been delayed by the lack of a suitable targetable surface antigen. In BALL and other B-cell malignancies, elimination of malignant B cells occurs alongside that of normal B cells/B-cell progenitors. B-cell depletion has been clinically tolerated for years, since the ensuing hypogammaglobulinemia is easily corrected. In stark contrast, elimination of normal myeloid cells/progenitors is unlikely to be tolerated for long, as the targeted AML antigen is frequently co-expressed on healthy hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC), leading to ablation of all myeloid progeny. Creative solutions are being sought to overcome these obstacles in order to make CART therapy a viable option for patients with AML. The current state of play: anti-acute myeloid leukemia chimeric antigen receptor T cells in the clinic Thirteen CART trials for patients with AML are currently enrolling patients (Table 1), though none have yet yielded mature published data. The first trial demonstrating biological activity for CART in AML was published in 2013, evaluating a second-generation (CD28 co-stimulatory domain) retrovirally transduced anti-Lewis Y CAR T-cell.3 Four of five enrolled patients with relapsed/refractory (RR) AML received a mean 4.46×106/kg CAR-positive T cells after lymphodepleting chemotherapy. The best responses achieved for each patient were: stable disease in two patients (for 49 days and 23 months respectively), reduction in blasts in one patient, and a cytogenetic remission in a patient with abnormal cytogenetics as the sole abnormality (i.e. blast count not elevated). Although all patients eventually progressed, this study was important as it demonstrated biological activity of CAR T cells against AML without significant hematopoietic toxicity, and the possibility of targeting a non-protein antigen.4 Table 1. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy trials for patients with acute myeloid leukemia open for enrollment.
Design and operation of increased thermal capacitance and dual thermal storage and its effects on building energy dependence

Abstract This research explores the design and operation of an increased thermal capacitance (ITC) and thermal storage management (TSM) system for reducing building energy consumption associated with heating, cooling, and domestic hot water (DHW) usage. Thermal capacitance is a controlling factor for phase shift and amplitude reductions of cyclical heat transfer due to weather, and control of the ITC through TSM improves upon the benefits offered by additional capacitance. Using the transient energy modeling software TRNSYS, ITC is achieved by water circulating in copper pipes embedded in the walls of a three-story residential building. Temperature and season-controlled valves divert circulation to either the building shell, ground heat exchanger, solar panel, cold storage tank or hot storage tank. A phase change material is thoroughly mixed into the water storage tanks to allow a tank volume reduction without loss of thermal storage. Proper design and operation of the ITC/TSM system are investigated through a parametric study of the water tank size, water mass flowrate, and solar panel size. These analyses are focused on reducing the overall building energy requirement associated with the heat pump and DHW usage. Results range from 24% to 35% energy savings for the evaluated parameter ranges.
Deployment Architectures for Cyber-Physical Control Systems

We consider the problem of how to deploy a controller to a (networked) cyber-physical system (CPS). Controlling a CPS is an involved task, and synthesizing a controller to respect sensing, actuation, and communication constraints is only part of the challenge. In addition to controller synthesis, one should also consider how the controller will work in the CPS. Put another way, the cyber layer and its interaction with the physical layer need to be taken into account.In this work, we aim to bridge the gap between theoretical controller synthesis and practical CPS deployment. We adopt the system level synthesis (SLS) framework to synthesize a state-feedback controller and provide a deployment architecture for the standard SLS controller. Furthermore, we derive a new controller realization for open-loop stable systems and introduce four different architectures for deployment, ranging from fully centralized to fully distributed. Finally, we compare the trade-offs among them in terms of robustness, memory, computation, and communication overhead.
Positive Margins in Cutaneous Melanoma of the Head and Neck: Implications for Timing of Reconstruction.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to identify clinicopathologic features associated with positive margins after surgical treatment of cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck (CMHN).Study DesignRetr...
Fundamental Theories in Neuroscience: Why Neural Darwinism Encompasses Neural Reuse

Various theories have been put forward to provide theoretical unification in neuroscience. The “data rich and theory poor” state of neuroscience makes such theories worth pursuing. An overarching theory can facilitate data interpretation and provide a general framework for explanation and understanding across the various subfields of neuroscience. Neural reuse is a recent and increasingly popular attempt at such a unifying theory. At its core, neural reuse is a claim about the brain’s architecture that centers on the idea that brain regions are used for multiple tasks across multiple domains. Here, I claim that although neural reuse has many merits, it does not provide a fundamental theory of brain structure and function. Neural reuse is appropriately understood as a general organizational principle that is encompassed by a more fundamental theory. That theory is Neural Darwinism, which applies broadly Darwinian selectionist principles across scales of investigation to explain and understand brain structure and function.
Determination of phosphite (HPO3-2) by a new IC/MS/MS method using an 18O-labeled HPO3-2 internal standard.

A new method has been developed to determine trace amounts of phosphite (HPO3-2) in environmental samples using ion chromatography with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (IC-ESI/MS/MS). The method includes the production and use of an 18O-labeled HPO3-2 internal standard (IS). This isotopically labeled IS significantly improved sensitivity and could account for matrix suppression. The method detection limit (MDL) was determined as 0.017 and 0.034 μg L-1 of HPO3-2 (6.5 and 13 ng P L-1) using a 500 and 25 μL injection loop, respectively. Precision (1-10%) and accuracy (recoveries = 96-106%) were established for a range of environmental samples using known (spiked) addition. The impact of ionic interferences was investigated by evaluating the response of the internal standard in the presence of common anions with respect to distilled deionized water. The most significant interference was due to nitrate (100 mg-NO3- L-1) with a 99.99% reduction in IS intensity. The method was successfully applied to wastewater effluent, surface water, tap water, and soil samples. Relatively low concentrations <0.25 μg HPO3-2 L-1 were measured in tap water, surface water and wastewater effluent, and ~1.6 μg kg-1 HPO3-2 in soil samples, using both injection loops. Limited suppression was observed for all matrices. The largest IS peak area suppression (~98%) was observed in WW effluent with 500 μL injection loop; however, this method was able to quantify HPO3-2 with good recoveries and precision despite the mentioned suppression, supporting the ability of the proposed method to quantify HPO3-2 in different environmental matrices.
Hemolysis after transcatheter mitral valve replacement in degenerated bioprostheses, annuloplasty rings, and mitral annular calcification: Incidence, patient characteristics, and clinical outcomes

OBJECTIVES To determine the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of patients with hemolysis after transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). BACKGROUND Hemolysis is an increasingly recognized complication of TMVR. Clinical outcomes and optimal management for patients with hemolysis after TMVR are unclear. METHODS Patients that underwent mitral valve-in-valve (MViV), valve-in-ring (MViR), and valve-in-mitral annular calcification (ViMAC) at a single center were retrospectively assessed. RESULTS A total of 101 patients had TMVR, including 69 with MViV, 14 with MViR, and 18 with ViMAC. ViMAC patients had an increased frequency of mild or greater paravalvular leak (PVL) (ViMAC, 72.2%; MViR, 14.3%; MViV, 13.0%; p < .001). Hemolysis occurred in eight patients and was more common after ViMAC (ViMAC, 33.3%; MViR, 7.1%; MViV, 1.5%; p < .001). This required transfusion in five (ViMAC, 4; MViV, 1) and was associated with acute kidney injury in five with ViMAC. Among the ViMAC patients, four had transcatheter re-intervention to treat hemolysis with resolution of anemia in three and mild residual anemia in one with persistent mild PVL. The two ViMAC patients without re-intervention had persistent anemia and died within 6 months. Both MViV and MViR patients with hemolysis did not have PVL but had turbulent flow from left ventricular outflow tract narrowing and their hemolysis was self-limited. CONCLUSIONS Hemolysis occurs with greater frequency and increased clinical severity after ViMAC as compared to MViV or MViR and is likely related to increased incidence of PVL. These findings demonstrate the need to investigate novel strategies that can reduce the burden of hemolysis with ViMAC.
Give credit where due: authorship at OE

Editor-in-Chief Adam Wax discusses several issues related to authorship of scientific papers.
Crude Extracts and Alkaloids Derived from Ipomoea-Periglandula Symbiotic Association Cause Mortality of Asian Citrus Psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae).

Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) is an important economic pest of citrus crops because it vectors the causal pathogen of huanglongbing (HLB; aka citrus greening). Population suppression of D. citri with insecticides has been disproportionally relied on for HLB management and a greater diversity of more sustainable tools is needed. Periglandula spp. is a fungal endosymbiont (family Clavicipitaceae) that forms a mutualistic relationship with members of plants in family Convolvulaceae. This association results in the production of ergot alkaloids that were previously documented as having psyllicidal properties. We investigated the mortality and behavior of D. citri exposed to crude extracts from morning glories in the plant family Convolvulaceae, as well as synthetic ergot alkaloids. Nymphs and adults were exposed to the crude plant extracts from Periglandula positive species of Convolvulaceae, as well as five synthetic ergot alkaloids. Treatments were prepared by exposing clippings of citrus to 100 ng/µL of crude extract from Periglandula-positive species of Ipomoea (I. imperati, I. leptophylla, I. pandurata and I. tricolor), and Turbina corymbosa, and from one Periglandula-negative species (I. alba) (100 ng/µL). Mortality of adult and nymphal D. citri was significantly higher than the control after exposure to extracts from I. tricolor and I. imperati. The synthetic ergot alkaloids, lysergol (10–100 ng/µL), ergonovine maleate (100 ng/µL), agroclavine (10–100 ng/µL), and ergosine (10–100 ng/µL) increased mortality of D. citri nymphs, while ergosine (100 ng/µL) and agroclavine (100 ng/µL) increased mortality of adults compared to water controls. Fewer D. citri adults settled on plants treated with crude extracts or synthetic ergot alkaloids than on water controls at 48 h after release. D. citri that fed on citrus leaves treated with 10 ng/μL solution of crude extract from the Periglandula-positive species Ipomoea (I. imperati, I. leptophylla, I. pandurata, I. tricolor), and Turbina corymbosa excreted significantly less honeydew compared with a negative water control and extract from Periglandula-negative species (I. alba). Our results indicate that crude extracts and ergot alkaloids exhibit toxic and sub-lethal effects on D. citri that could be useful for management of this pest.
Unequal by Design: High-Stakes Testing and the Standardization of Inequality

Unequal By Design critically examines high-stakes standardized testing in order to illuminate what is really at stake for students, teachers, and communities negatively affected by such testing. This thoughtful analysis traces standardized testing’s origins in the Eugenics and Social Efficiency movements of the late 19th and early 20th century through its current use as the central tool for national educational reform via No Child Left Behind. By exploring historical, social, economic, and educational aspects of testing, author Wayne Au demonstrates that these tests are not only premised on the creation of inequality, but that their structures are inextricably intertwined with social inequalities that exist outside of schools.
Memory-For-Designs Test: comparison of performance of young and old adults

Administered the Graham-Kendall MFD test to 80 normal male Ss, who ranged in age from 21 to 90 years. While no significant decline in performance occurred in Ss to age 50, the older groups, 40 Ss 60 years and older, differed significantly in error scores from Ss 50 years and younger, p < .001. As older Ss were given complete neurological examinations and visual acuity was evaluated carefully, the results suggest that decline in MFD performance after the age of 60 is sufficient to suggest caution in the use of the test by present interpretation for the evaluation of brain damage in the older patient.
Prolonged enteral leucine supplementation improves lean growth in neonatal pigs fed a restricted protein diet (258.6)

Many low birth weight infants experience growth failure due to feeding intolerance resulting in reduced nutrient intake. The branched-chain amino acid, leucine, has been shown to have anabolic effe...
Alkane Carbon–Hydrogen Bond Activation

The title topic is reviewed with attention to alkane complexes, Shilov chemistry, alkane functionalization, Fenton reagents, oxidative addition pathways, sigma bond metathesis pathways, and surface-bound reagents. Methane to methanol chemistry is discussed and attempts to commercialize the reaction are described in connection with Periana systems. Some organic synthetic applications are also covered. Future challenges are posed. Keywords: alkane functionalization; alkane complexes; oxidative addition; sigma bond metathesis; Fenton chemistry; Shilov chemistry
Information Visualization: Perception for Design

Most designers know that yellow text presented against a blue background reads clearly and easily, but how many can explain why, and what really are the best ways to help others and ourselves clearly see key patterns in a bunch of data? When we use software, access a website, or view business or scientific graphics, our understanding is greatly enhanced or impeded by the way the information is presented. This book explores the art and science of why we see objects the way we do. Based on the science of perception and vision, the author presents the key principles at work for a wide range of applications--resulting in visualization of improved clarity, utility, and persuasiveness. The book offers practical guidelines that can be applied by anyone: interaction designers, graphic designers of all kinds (including web designers), data miners, and financial analysts. Complete update of the recognized source in industry, research, and academic for applicable guidance on information visualizing. Includes the latest research and state of the art information on multimedia presentation. More than 160 explicit design guidelines based on vision science. A new final chapter that explains the process of visual thinking and how visualizations help us to think about problems. Packed with over 400 informative full color illustrations, which are key to understanding of the subject. Table of Contents Chapter 1. Foundations for an Applied Science of Data Visualization Chapter 2. The Environment, Optics, Resolution, and the Display Chapter 3. Lightness, Brightness, Contrast and Constancy Chapter 4. Color Chapter 5. Visual Salience and Finding Information Chapter 6. Static and Moving Patterns Chapter 7. Space Perception Chapter 8. Visual Objects and Data Objects Chapter 9. Images, Narrative, and Gestures for Explanation Chapter 10. Interacting with Visualizations Chapter 11. Visual Thinking Processes
The midbrain raphe nuclei mediate primary reinforcement via GABAA receptors

Because rats learn to lever-press for brief electrical stimulation of the median and dorsal raphe nuclei (MRN and DRN, respectively), these brain sites have long been implicated in reward processes. However, it is not clear whether the MRN and DRN integrate reward-related signals or merely contain fibers of passage involved in reward processes. To shed light on this issue, the present study employed chemicals that selectively modulate neurotransmission, in particular the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol. Rats quickly learned to lever-press for muscimol infusions (50 and 100 μM) into the MRN or DRN. Muscimol was not self-administered when cannulae were placed just outside these nuclei. The reinforcing effects of muscimol appeared to be greater when the drug was administered into the MRN than into the DRN, as demonstrated by higher infusion rates and better response discrimination. These observations are consistent with the additional finding that muscimol administration into the MRN, but not the DRN, induced conditioned place preference. The reinforcing effects of muscimol administration into the MRN were blocked by coadministration of the GABAA antagonist picrotoxin (100 μM) and by pretreatment with the dopamine receptor antagonist SCH 23390 (0.025 mg/kg, i.p.). The present results suggest that median and dorsal raphe neurons presumably inhibited by muscimol via GABAA receptors are involved in integration of primary reinforcement, and that median raphe neurons exert tonic inhibition over dopamine-dependent reward circuitry. The midbrain raphe nuclei may be involved in a variety of reward-related phenomena including drug addiction.
Circulation of tritium in the Pacific Ocean

Abstract The input of bomb tritium into the high-latitude Northern Hemisphere waters has demonstrated the spread of a tracer in three dimensions in the North Pacific Ocean. Subsurface tritium maxima in middle and low latitudes clearly show the importance of lateral mixing (along isopycnals) in the upper waters. The tritium pattern as mapped on isopycnal surfaces puts definite time bounds on the exchange between the subtropical anticyclonic gyre of the North Pacific and both the subarctic cyclonic gyre and the system of zonal flows in the equatorial region. The penetration of bomb tritium to depths below 1000 m in the western North Pacific Ocean shows that these waters have been ventilated at least partially in the past 17 years of the post-bomb era. From the tritium pattern the upper waters of the North Pacific can be divided into three regions: a mixed layer that exchanges rapidly with the atmosphere, a laterally ventilated intermediate region (between the mixed layer and at most the winter-outcrop isopy...
Effects of methamphetamine on central monoaminergic systems in normal and ascorbic acid-deficient guinea pigs

Repeated injections (s.c.) of methamphetamine (METH) were administered to normal and ascorbic acid-deficient (scorbutic) guinea pigs to assess a potential role for ascorbic acid in the METH-induced effects in central monoaminergic systems. The ascorbic acid-deficient condition differentially influenced the METH-induced responses of dopaminergic and serotonergic variables in the striatum: drug-induced changes in dopaminergic variables were identical in normal and scorbutic animals; METH-induced decreases in serotonergic variables [tryptophan hydroxylase activity, serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid concentrations], however, were prevented in scorbutic animals. The scorbutic condition did not alter significantly the distribution of METH in the brain, nor were striatal concentrations of dopamine (DA) or 5-HT affected. In vitro, ascorbic acid increased significantly DA-mediated [3H]5-HT release from striatal slices, thus suggesting a potential role for ascorbate in DA-mediated actions of METH on serotonergic systems. Although supplemental ascorbate failed to restore the METH-induced serotonergic effects in scorbutic guinea pigs, these data suggest that, in a normal animal, the effects of multiple injections of METH, on serotonergic systems, involve ascorbic acid.
Disagreements and Intra-industry Spinoffs

Abstract A growing empirical literature on spinoff formation has begun to reveal some striking regularities about which firms are most likely to spawn spinoffs, when they are most likely to spawn them, and the relationship between the quality of the parent firm and its spinoffs. Deeper investigations into the causes of spinoffs have highlighted the importance of strategic disagreements in driving some employees to resign and found a new venture. Motivated by this literature, we construct a new theory of spinoff formation driven by strategic disagreements and explore how well it explains the emerging empirical regularities.
Contrasting effects of elevated CO2 on old and new soil carbon pools

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the largest reservoir of organic carbon in the terrestrial biosphere. Though the influence of increasing atmospheric CO2 on net primary productivity, on the flow of newly fixed carbon belowground, and on the quality of new plant litter in ecosystems has been examined, indirect effects of increased CO2 on breakdown of large SOC pools already in ecosystems are not well understood. We found that exposure of California grassland communities to elevated CO2 retarded decomposition of older SOC when mineral nutrients were abundant, thus increasing the turnover time of SOC already in the system. Under elevated CO2, soil microorganisms appeared to shift from consuming older SOC to utilizing easily degraded rhizodeposits derived from increased root biomass. In contrast to this increased retention of stabilized older SOC under elevated CO2, movement of newly fixed carbon from roots to stabilized SOC pools was retarded; though root biomass increased under elevated CO2, new carbon in mineral-bound pools decreased. These contrasting effects of elevated CO2 on dynamics of old and new soil carbon pools contribute to a new soil carbon equilibrium that could profoundly affect long-term net carbon movement between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere.
Generalization and applications of the Sasakawa theory

Abstract The Sasakawa theory of scattering is phrased in the form of a Fredhohn reduction technique for integral equations possessing a fixed-point singularity in their kernels. This permits the generalization of this theory to a large variety of scattering integral equations. Some specific applications include the two-particle off-shell and multichannel scattering problems. In the first instance a rank-three approximation to the fully off-shell transition matrix is derived which is exact on and half-off shell, satisfies off-shell unitarity, and which possesses no unphysical singularities. In the second problem it is shown how the method leads to the generation of a unitary approximation to the multichannel amplitudes.
Person perception and real-life electoral behaviour

The study examined the extent to which certain findings obtained in laboratory-based person perception research could be applied to a real-life situation involving meaningful judgements. Voting res...
Structural and magnetic properties of phase controlled iron oxide rods

Abstract Iron oxide rods are synthesized by thermal decomposition of iron (II) acetate at 700 °C. The X-ray powder diffraction measurement confirms the hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) phase of iron oxide. We observed that the Morin transition depends on applied magnetic field and shift towards lower temperature with increase in applied magnetic field. The Morin temperature at applied field of 500 and 2000 Oe is observed to be 261.1 and 260.3 K respectively. Magnetization versus magnetic field measurements confirms the antiferromagnetic behavior below Morin transition and weak ferromagnetic behavior above Morin transition.
Characteristics of diatrizoate-induced basophil histamine release.

Abstract Factors influencing the release of histamine by basophils exposed to the radiocontrast agent diatrizoate were investigated in vitro by use of cells from healthy adult subjects with no history of radiocontrast reactions. Diatrizoate-induced release shared similarities with calcium ionophore-induced release. The response to both agents is dose dependent, enhanced by deuterium oxide, optimal at 37 °C, calcium dependent, and enhanced with longer reaction times. Unlike calcium ionophore, however, pretreatment of basophils with diatrizoate may also induce dose-dependent inhibition of reactivity during subsequent challenges with anti-IgE, N -formyl methionine peptide, and calcium ionophore. These findings suggest that diatrizoate may induce histamine release via a calcium ionophore-like mechanism, but other effects on cellular function probably account for its ability to inhibit basophil responsiveness.
Efficiency and sensitivity of multidimensional computerized adaptive testing of pediatric physical functioning.

Purpose. Computerized adaptive tests (CATs) have efficiency advantages over fixed-length tests of physical functioning but may lose sensitivity when administering extremely low numbers of items. Multidimensional CATs may efficiently improve sensitivity by capitalizing on correlations between functional domains. Using a series of empirical simulations, we assessed the efficiency and sensitivity of multidimensional CATs compared to a longer fixed-length test.Method. Parent responses to the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory before and after intervention for 239 children at a pediatric rehabilitation hospital provided the data for this retrospective study. Reliability, effect size, and standardized response mean were compared between full-length self-care and mobility subscales and simulated multidimensional CATs with stopping rules at 40, 30, 20, and 10 items.Results. Reliability was lowest in the 10-item CAT condition for the self-care (r = 0.85) and mobility (r = 0.79) subscales; all other condi...
Enhanced Linking Numbers

1. INTRODUCTION. The study of knots and links begins with simple intuitive problems but quickly leads to sophisticated mathematics. This paper will provide the reader with an accessible route that begins with basic knot theory and leads into interesting realms of modern research. The specific topic of the paper is the enhanced linking number, X, a new invariant of links that provides a simple tool to address some of the fundamental problems in the study of linking. The linked rings illustrated on the left in Figure 1 are clearly linked; when a magician pulls such a link apart we know we have been tricked. A mathematical proof that this link is nontrivial depends on showing that its linking number is 1, where the linking number is the basic invariant of link theory, first described by Gauss two hundred years ago. With the link on the right the situation is less clear. If this link is built from rope or beads, then one quickly finds that unlinking the two is impossible. However, formulating a mathematical proof of this is more difficult; for instance, the linking number turns out to be of no help. The enhanced linking number reduces the proof that this link is nontrivial to a simple calculation. This article describes the enhanced linking number and shows how it can be applied to this basic problem of distinguishing links. It will also discuss the role of X in a variety of advanced topics, such as periodicity, symmetry, Brunnian linking, and the modern theory of finite type invariants.
An iconic transform for sketch completion and shape abstraction

Abstract This paper shows how a simple label propagation technique, in conjunction with some novel ideas about how labels can be applied to an image to express semantic knowledge, leads to the simplifi ation of a number of diverse and difficult image analysis tasks (e.g., sketch completion and shape abstraction). A single algorithmic technique, based on skeleton and distance transform concepts, is applied to appropriately labeled images to obtain the desired results. A key point is that the initial semantic labeling is not required at every location in the image, but only at those few critical locations where significant changes or discontinuities occur.
Effects of Ultraviolet-B Radiation Stress on the Abscisic Acid Status of Rumex patientia Leaves

To determine if increased abscisic acid (ABA) levels are associated with ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation (288–320 nm) stress, Rumex patientia L. plants were exposed to visible light with high or low (control) UV-B irradiance and then assayed for ABA by gas chromatography. Though leaf growth was inhibited by the UV-B irradiation, no differences in levels of free ABA were found between leaves from the two treatments after 1, 3 or 5 days of exposure. Unlike the situation in most environmental stresses, increased ABA levels are not associated with UV-B radiation stress. Further, photolysis or isomerization are not likely explanations for the absence of ABA increase. Calculations indicate that if ABA in the leaf were fully exposed to solar UV-B radiation only about 6.7% would be photolyzed by existing daily radiation at 40°N latitude, and 11.3% by radiation resulting from a 40% decrease in atmospheric ozone. The quantum yield for isomerization of cistrans-ABA by radiation in the 288–312 nm waveband was determined. Existing daily solar UV-B irradiation is capable of isomerizing ABA in solution to an equilibrium mixture of 50% cisjrans and 50%irans, trans-ABA., However, because of radiation attenuation in the leaf, it is estimated that only a small fraction of the cistrans-A.BA. would be isomerized.
The fishbone instability in the DIII-D tokamak

Although most DIII-D plasmas are stable to the fishbone instability, fishbones are sometimes observed when βp 1.5 and e 5 × 1013 cm−3. These bursts are usually of minor significance operationally; however, under one condition, over 50% of the beam power was lost. The angle of beam injection has little effect on the virulence of the instability, suggesting that the fishbone instability in DIII-D is the ion diamagnetic branch of the internal kink.
Connectivity and Navigation: An Overview of the Global Inter-Networked Information Infrastucture

The Internet is a collection of computer networks which spans the globe and reaches every continent in the world. THe opportunity for service development in the Internet holds great potential for the library profession. An overview of current networked applications is provided, and the role played by the National Science Foundation Network (NSFNET) is examined. The architecture of the current information environment is surveyed, and some of the chief challenges to the development of highly reliable and precise wide area information retrieval systems are identified. For librarians and information technologists interested in meeting these challenges, opportunities exist to address them through organizations such as the Coalition for Networked Information and the Internet Engineering Task Force
Dynamics of a membrane-moderated controlled release

Abstract The dynamics of a membrane-moderated, controlled release for which a step pertubation is imposed on the sorrounding or environmental temperature is simulated. A model is developed, which takes into consideration the nonlinear decay of the active agent, various effective mass-transport properties, and the temperature dependence of the thermal properties. Analyses are made of the effects of the magnitudes of the sorrounding temperature pertubation, modified Nusselt number, modified Sherwood number, membrane thickness, void fraction of the membrane, and heat of reaction on the concentration profile, temperature profile, and release rate.
Preliminary Measurements of the Cryogenic Dielectric Properties of Water–Ammonia Ices: Implications for Radar Observations of Icy Satellites☆

I report preliminary measurements of the complex permittivity of frozen aqueous ammonia solutions at liquid nitrogen temperatures, representative of those in the saturnian system. The real part of the dielectric constant of 30% ammonia ice is around 4.5 at near-DC frequencies and at ∼1 MHz, compared with around 3.1 for pure water ice. The loss tangents of ammonia-rich ices seem somewhat (∼50%) higher than those for water ice, for which the few low-temperature experiments to date indicate values comparable with predictions by Thompson and Squyres (1990,Icarus86, 336–354) and Maetzler (1998, inSolar System Ices(B. Schmitt, C. DeBergh, and M. Festou, Eds.), pp. 241–257, Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht), but considerably higher than models by Chybaet al. (1998,Icarus, in press). Ammonia-rich ice may reconcile the radar and optical appearance of Titan's surface: the detectability of water–ammonia ice on Titan by the Cassini mission and the implications for Titan's origin and evolution are discussed.
Georgescu-Roegen versus Solow/Stiglitz

Daly is right to be concerned about our society’s use of resources. Environmental degradation and the wasteful use of natural resources—or any resources, for that matter—are of concern. Daly’s tirade concerning our work seems motivated by two concerns: a lack of consistency with basic laws of physics, and the alleged implication that growth can continue unabated, without eventually facing constraints imposed by the limited supply of natural resources. Part of the problem arises from a lack of understanding of the role of the kind of analytic models that we (and others) have formulated. They are intended to help us answer questions like, for the intermediate run— for the next 50–60 years, is it possible that growth can be sustained? What does this possibility entail? We write down models as if they extend out to infinity, but no one takes these limits seriously—for one thing, an exponential increase in the population presents almost unimaginable problems of congestion on our limited planet. In this intermediate run, capital can substitute for natural resources—and this is true even though capital itself uses resources. More precise machines (made out of resources that are relatively abundant) can reduce wastage of resources that are relatively scarce. Technical change— some of which is the result of investments in RD and increased efficiency in production may imply less wastage of bauxite and less coal or oil to produce the energy used to make a pound of aluminum. Or consider the ‘resources’ that were required to run a regression only a half-century ago—pounds and pounds of heavy calculating machines replaced by mere ounces of a modern calculator. Changes in technology also allow us to recycle resources more efficiently, so that the amount that is not ‘recaptured’ for future production may be reduced. Perhaps the most important question is: Where does all of this lead us? Resources are scarce, and markets, when they function well, reflect that scarcity, economizing on the use of resources. There are important instances, especially where the environment and natural resources are concerned, where markets do not work well. There are, for instance, the classic problems posed by pollution externalities. When markets do not
Impact of non‐indigenous species on natives enhanced by anthropogenic alteration of selection regimes

Changes in environmental conditions often reverse outcomes of competitive interactions among species. Such context dependency implies that the speed, persistence, and ubiquity of anthropogenic habitat alterations may suddenly put even previously well-adapted native species at a competitive disadvantage with non-native species. That is, anthropogenic disturbance may so drastically alter environments that a native species finds itself in an environment that in key ways is just as novel as it is to a non-indigenous species. Extreme disturbances may thereby erase a native species' prior advantage of local environmental adaptation accrued during its long-term incumbency over evolutionary time. I document examples from two areas of dramatic human alteration of selection regimes - eutrophication and the selective removal of top predators - that support this mechanism. Additionally, I highlight ways in which this mechanism is experimentally testable. Alteration of selection regimes may prove to be a powerful explanation for the enhanced success and impact of biological invasions in our globally disturbed biosphere.
Characterization of high molecular mass linear polyacrylamide powder prepared by emulsion polymerization as a replaceable polymer matrix for DNA sequencing by capillary electrophoresis

In a previous paper, a 2% w/w replaceable high molecular mass linear polyacrylamide solution (high molecular mass LPA) was used to achieve long read-lengths for DNA sequencing by capillary electrophoresis (E. Carrilho et al., Anal. Chem. 1996, 68, 3305-3313). In that work, the polymer was prepared by polymerization in water at 6% w/w, followed by dilution to 2% w/w. In this study, an improved method for preparation of high molecular mass LPA was developed, based on inverse emulsion polymerization. With this polymerization procedure, the LPA results in a molecular mass of approximately 9 MDa, with characteristics of a fine powder of high purity and practically unlimited shelf life. Using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and viscosity measurements to characterize the polymer, good batch-to-batch reproducibility was found. It was observed that the viscous polymer solutions made from these high molecular mass polymers require careful preparation and handling because the method of dissolution could affect the molecular mass distribution and the resultant separation of DNA components. Solutions containing 2% w/w of LPA made by emulsion polymerization were simple to prepare, resulting in excellent performance as a replaceable matrix for DNA sequencing by capillary electrophoresis. The viscosity of the polymer decreased exponentially when pressure was applied, allowing easy replacement from a capillary using a syringe. With a properly prepared matrix, a read-length of more than 1000 bases in 80 min with an accuracy better than 97%, and better than 99% for the first 800 bases, could be achieved.
Outcomes From the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health (REACH) Program for Bereaved Caregivers

Although preventive efforts for bereaved individuals have not been shown to be particularly effective in past studies, it has been suggested that intervention effects might be underestimated due to methodological issues such as short follow-up assessments. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the efficacy (as whole intervention packages and as component parts) of the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health (REACH) interventions in preventing complicated grief, normal grief, and depressive symptoms at a longer term follow-up assessment among bereaved caregivers (N = 224). On average, active interventions showed a statistically significant effect on normal grief symptoms (d = 0.28), exhibited a trend toward improvement on complicated grief symptoms (d = 0.25), and demonstrated little impact on depressive symptoms (d = 0.09). Interestingly, the examination of intervention components revealed differential effects, whereby cognitive and behavioral strategies were most effective at reducing levels of complicated grief, information and emotional support were most effective for addressing normal grief, and environmental modifications were most effective for ameliorating depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that different preloss interventions might be warranted depending on a caregiver's unique clinical presentation and combination of risk factors.
Management of intracranial plasmacytoma

The authors report on a study of eight cases of intracranial plasmacytoma to identify the risk of progression to multiple myeloma and suggest the treatment required for cure of solitary lesions. The diagnosis of multiple myeloma or myelomatous changes was made in the immediate postoperative period in four patients (50%), two of whom had skull base lesions. Of the four remaining patients, three were treated with complete surgical resection and radiation therapy and had no recurrence of plasmacytoma or progression to multiple myeloma during mean follow up of 12 years (range 2-25 years); one patient underwent subtotal surgical resection and had recurrence of the tumor despite radiation therapy. It is concluded that multiple myeloma is unlikely to develop during the long term in patients with intracranial plasmacytoma who do not develop multiple myeloma or myelomatous changes in the early postoperative period. However, lesions that infiltrate the skull base are not likely to be solitary, and patients who harbor these neoplasms should undergo complete evaluation and close follow-up review to exclude multiple myeloma. A recurrence of solitary intracranial plasmacytoma is possible with subtotal surgical resection despite radiation therapy. Definitive treatment should consist of complete surgical resection with adjuvant radiation therapy.
Creation of short and very short measures of the five Cs of positive youth development

As developmental scientists seek to index the strengths of adolescents and adopt the positive youth development (PYD) perspective, psychometrically sound measurement tools will be needed to assess adolescents’ positive attributes. Using a series of exploratory factor analyses and CFA models, this research creates short and very short versions of the scale used to measure the Five Cs of PYD in the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development. We created separate forms for earlier versus later adolescence and ensured that items displayed sufficient conceptual overlap across forms to support tests of factorial invariance. We discuss implications for further scale development and advocate for the use of these convenient tools, especially in research and applications pertinent to the Five Cs model of PYD.
Feline spontaneous cerebellar rhythmic activity: Topographical, behavioral and spectral analyses ☆

Abstract The only rhythmic ECoG activity recorded from the surface of cat cerebellum has been cerebellar rhythmic activity (CRA), a 20–40 c/sec rhythm associated with drug- or stimulation-induced arousal. The present study provides data on the spontaneous occurrence of CRA, including topographical evidence for its distribution over medial-posterior cerebellum. Behavioural data during waking and sleep suggest that it is associated with arousal, and perhaps more specifically with tonic muscle activity in the head and neck. Sleep data demonstrate its marked attenuation during all stages. Power spectral analyses of CRA exhibit a very stable rhythm between 22 and 32 c/sec, unassociated with feline sensorimotor rhythm (SMR). The medial-posterior dominance of CRA, its frequency, and its association with arousal suggest that CRA reflects mossy fiber input to cerebellum, possibly via the lateral reticular nucleus (LRN).
Ghrelin Potentiates Growth Hormone Secretion Driven by Putative Somatostatin Withdrawal and Resists Inhibition by Human Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone

Context: Ghrelin is a 28-amino acid, Ser3-octanoylated peptide that stimulates GH secretion in vivo and in vitro. Beyond the capability of ghrelin to synergize with GHRH, little is known about multipeptide modulation of ghrelin’s actions in humans. Objective: The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that ghrelin can stimulate GH secretion in the absence or presence of somatostatin withdrawal (induced by l-arginine infusion) and stress-like drive by CRH. Design: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over interventional study. Setting: This study was performed at an academic medical center. Participants: Nine healthy postmenopausal women not receiving sex hormones were studied. Interventions: Subjects were given an iv infusion of saline and/or l-arginine or human CRH, followed by a bolus iv injection of ghrelin. Outcome Measures: The outcome measures were pulsatile GH secretion quantified by repetitive blood sampling, immunochemiluminometry, and deconvolution analysis....
Proton stopping power of aluminum ions

With the use of the generalized-oscillator-strength formulation of the plane-wave Born approximation, the contribution of individual subshell ionization and excitation to the proton stopping power is calculated for Al/sup n/+ (0< or =n< or =11) for proton energies between 0.1 and 100 MeV. The neutral-Al results are in excellent agreement with experiment. The subshell-peak stopping power due to ionization is in excellent agreement with scaled neutral-atom values. The optical oscillator strength was used to calculate the Bethe mean-excitation energy I for all the Al ions. Equating the explicitly calculated stopping power at 100 MeV to the Bethe formula led to an alternative I value. While the two I values agreed for some ions, for others they disagreed by as much as 50%. However, even in such cases, a change of less than 10% in the stopping power at 100 MeV would produce agreement between the two methods of calculating I.