cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bagrada hilaris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), An Invasive Stink Bug Attacking Cole Crops in the Southwestern United States

An invasive stink bug, Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), was discovered in the Western Hemisphere in 2008 near Los Angeles, CA, presumably introduced on container shipments arriving at the Port of Long Beach. In the subsequent 4 years, it has spread throughout southern California, southern areas of Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, southern and west-central New Mexico, and extreme western Texas. We initiated studies on the seasonality and host range of this invasive insect as it adapts to this non-native habitat. We have learned that the bagrada bug has a single population peak between July and October in urban areas dominated by native and introduced weeds, and two population peaks (March-May and September-November) timed with the production of cole crops in agricultural areas. In greenhouse tests, we found 14 plants on which bagrada bug fed heavily, out of 38 agricultural crops and weed plants evaluated. The opportunistic use of host plants other than crucifers, the use of soil oviposition sites, and tolerance of warm climates may contribute to its invasive potential.
Attention in children with obstructive sleep apnoea: an event-related potentials study.

Abstract Background Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in children has been causally implicated in neurobehavioural and cognitive dysfunction. Consequently, the American Academy of Paediatrics highlighted the need to study pertinent functional cognitive outcomes before and after treatment. However, neurocognitive function has thus far only been assessed by caregiver-completed questionnaires, which can be labour intensive and time consuming, such that the need for complementary and more objective measures has emerged. Objective The study aimed to identify electrophysiological correlates of neurocognitive alterations in children with OSA and investigate utility as a predictive tool. Patients and methods Twenty-eight children (14 OSA and 14 matched controls) underwent overnight sleep studies and neurocognitive testing, as well as the oddball attention task while event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. ERPs were analysed using temporal principal components and source analyses that provided dependent variables for the subsequent repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple regressions. Time-locked waveforms formed spatial models that localised electrical activity in the brain. ERP differences between groups were then correlated to neurocognitive outcomes. Results OSA children exhibited significantly altered ERP patterns of neural activation and impaired neurocognitive performance. Specific ERP variables exhibited accurate predictive ability regarding performance on neurobehavioural measures. Conclusion Specific ERP events during a single attention task can reliably identify the presence of OSA-associated cognitive dysfunction. Electrophysiological approaches during specific cognitive tasks may serve as simple, complementary, and reliable reporters of cognitive dysfunction associated with OSA in children.
Identification of 5-hydroxytryptamine1 binding site subtypes in rat spinal cord

High-affinity, specific [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) binding was analyzed in rat spinal cord homogenates. Drug competition studies were performed using 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) to compete selectively for 5-HT1A sites, RU 24969 to compete for 5-HT1B sites and mesulergine to compete for 5-HT1C sites. Competition data were analyzed by computer-assisted iterative curve-fitting analysis. The results demonstrate that 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B and 5-HT1C binding sites are present in rat spinal cord. In addition, approximately 33% of total 5-HT1 sites do not appear to represent either 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B or 5-HT1C binding sites. Therefore, 5-HT1D and/or some other 5-HT1 binding site subtype may also be present in rat spinal cord.
Human immunodeficiency virus may encode a novel protein on the genomic DNA plus strand

The genome of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is known to contain eight open reading frames (ORFs) on the minus strand of the double-stranded DNA replicative intermediate. Data presented here indicate that the DNA plus strand of HIV contains a previously unidentified ORF in a region complementary to the envelope gene sequence. This ORF could encode a protein of approximately 190 amino acid residues with a relative molecular mass of 20 kilodaltons if translation began from the first initiation codon. The predicted protein is highly hydrophobic and thus could be membrane associated. It is possible, therefore, that the HIV genome encodes a protein on antisense messenger RNA.
Observations on Juvenile Red Hake Associated with Sea Scallops in Frenchman Bay, Maine

Abstract Sea scallops Placopecten magellanicus were sampled from seven Maine coastal sites with commercial gear, and the occurrence of inquiline red hake Urophycischuss was recorded. A significant positive correlation existed between fish length and host shell height. Inquiline red hake diet was primarily the amphipod Pontogeneia inermis and the decapod Crangon septemspinosa (43% and 48%, by occurrence, respectively). No evidence of predation on sea scallop hosts was found. Results suggest that inquiline red hake forage only on the bottom and in the vicinity of host sea scallops. The relationship probably serves to increase survival of age-0 red hake and should be considered in management of fisheries for both species.
Four-point-bending-fatigue behavior of the Zr-based Vitreloy 105 bulk metallic glass

Abstract The purpose of this study was to make a direct comparison between four-point-bending and uniaxial fatigue tests with the Zr 52.5 Cu 17.9 Ni 14.6 Al 10.0 Ti 5.0 (at.%) BMG alloy (Vitreloy 105). The fatigue lifetimes in four-point bending were found to be greater than those reported in uniaxial testing. However, the fatigue-endurance limit found in four-point bending was slightly less than that reported for uniaxial fatigue. Thus, the significant differences between fatigue studies in the literature are not likely due to this difference in testing geometry. On the contrary, the fatigue lifetimes were found to be highly dependent upon surface defects and material quality. The four-point-bending-fatigue performance of the Vit 105 alloy was found to be greater than most BMGs and similar to the 300 M high-strength steel and other crystalline alloys in spite of not being ‘perfectly amorphous.’ Due to the detrimental effects of these inhomogeneities and wear at the supporting pins, this fatigue behavior can be assumed to be a conservative estimate of the potential fatigue performance of a perfectly amorphous and homogeneous BMG.
Review of “Transitions to Adulthood for Youth With Disabilities Through an Occupational Therapy Lens,” edited by Debra Stewart

Recent research has demonstrated that occupational therapists have had limited and inconsistent involvement in secondary transition planning, particularly in high schools. Transitions to Adulthood ...
Processes and mechanisms of democratization

Unlike Artistotle's analysis, recent treatments of democratization identify pathways and propose necessary conditions but fall short of specifying cause-effect relations. Democratization does not f...
Observations of solidification cracking in Ti alloy weldments

Solidification cracking in weldments normally results from an inability of the partially solidified fusion zone to withstand contractual stresses produced during cooling [1]. The susceptibility of a particular weldment to such "hot cracking" or "hot tearing" has been shown to be dependent on the interrelated metallurgical and thermomechanical characteristics of the weldzone [2, 3]. Observations of solidification cracking and theories explaining the mechanisms involved have been documented for nearly every major alloy system. Studies performed by Savage and Lundin [4] have shown that titanium alloys are highly resistant to solidification cracking, particularly when compared to aluminum and nickel-base alloys. Nonetheless, studies at the Air Force Materials Laboratory have found that, under certain welding conditions, solidification cracking in titantium alloys can occur. This paper briefly describes the morphological characteristics of solidification cracks in weldments on the metastable-/3 titanium alloy Ti-3AI-13V-l lCr and the ot-fl titanium alloy Ti-6AI-6V2Sn. The application of scanning electron microscopy techniques provided information concerning the microscopic characteristics of these weld defects not obtainable with conventional optical light microscopy. Figure l(a) illustrates a longitudinal centerline crack in an autogenous pulsed-current gas tungsten-arc weldment on Ti-3A1-13V11Cr. Cracking in each weld "crater" of the full-penetration weldment appeared to nucleate at or near the trailing edge of the weld pool from an existing crack in the previously solidified region. Fracture of this weldment when stressed transversely in three-point bending occurred at the longitudinal solidification crack after minimal deformation. Observation of the exposed surfaces showed little evidence of mechanical room-temperature fracture, indicating that solidification cracking essentially separated the
A percolation model of catalyst deactivation by site coverage and pore blockage

Abstract The problem of catalyst deactivation by active site poisoning and pore blockage, under globally kinetic control, is analyzed. The catalyst pore space is represented by a three-dimensional network of interconnected pores. As a result, the effect of morphological properties of the catalyst pore space, i.e., its geometry (pore size distribution) and topology (connectedness), on the deactivation process is investigated, for the first time, simultaneously. The concepts of percolation theory, a modern theory of statistical physics of disordered media, are employed to show that both single-pore and bundle of parallel pore models perform rather poorly and that the interconnectivity of the pores plays a fundamental role in the overall catalytic behavior. The extension of the model to more complicated systems is also discussed.
Maternal serum α-fetoprotein screening: The effect of participation on anxiety and attitude toward pregnancy in women with normal results

The purpose of this study was to assess the psychological impact of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening on pregnant women with normal results and their male partners. Assessments of anxiety (as measured by the state-trait anxiety inventory) and attitudes toward pregnancy (as measured by the maternal attitude to pregnancy instrument) were conducted sequentially beginning at 16 weeks' gestation in women participating in the maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening with normal results and in women without access to screening. Screened subjects exhibited similar or lower levels of anxiety at each point in time as compared to unscreened subjects. In addition, they exhibited a similar or more positive attitude toward pregnancy. No differences in anxiety were observed between male partners in the two groups. Participation in screening appeared to have no adverse psychological effect on the subjects studied.
A Study of Journal Publication Patterns of Marketing Faculty

The literature on ranking marketing journals is fairly large, but no studies have been done to see exactly where marketing academics actually publish. This study looks at the self-reported publication patterns of 311 marketing faculty. We identify the journals in which marketing faculty are most likely to publish and note that there are distinct differences between the journals in which faculty at doctoral schools and faculty at nondoctoral schools publish. One implication is that when using journal rankings for personnel decisions, although they may be useful for doctoral schools, they have less utility for nondoctoral schools. Thus, “one size fits all” tenure and promotion policies may not be appropriate. Suggestions for future research are offered.
Effect of an odor-modified garlic preparation on blood lipids

Abstract The effect of an odor-modified liquid garlic extract on blood lipids was evaluated in human subjects over a six month period. Lowering of cholesterol, triglycerides, low density and very low density lipoproteins (LDL, VLDL) with rise of high density lipoprotein (HDL) was observed in the majority of subjects who took garlic extract; the effect was clearly more significant than with subjects taking placebo. Garlic extract did not significantly influence the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in subjects whose initial cholesterol levels were relatively low. Of special interest was the initial rise of cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL/VLDL with garlic supplementation, suggesting possible mobilization of tissue lipids into the circulation during this phase of garlic ingestion. This study confirms previous reports of lowering cholesterol and triglycerides using various garlic preparations. Furthermore, it suggests that odor-modified garlic extract may be used in conjunction with dietary modification for control of hyperlipidemia.
Penile incarceration: a wrapping technique.

A 60-year-old married male, wheelchair bound for 20 years secondary to a spinal cord injury, presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with penile incarceration. A circular industrial-gauge steel bushing had been placed on the proximal penis to prolong tumescence. The patient had been using the bushing (Figure 1) for this purpose without mishap for more than 20 years to self-treat his erectile dysfunction. The previous day, the patient had been using this technique when visitors interrupted him and his wife. Thinking that the visitors would leave in a few minutes, the patient did not remove the metal ring before or during their visit. This precipitated prolonged engorgement, making removal of the bushing impossible. Thinking that the predicament would resolve itself spontaneously, the patient sought no medical assistance until the next day. The next day, finding no reduction in penile edema after approximately 18 h, the patient came to the ED. On physical examination, the bushing was flush against the pubis with notable distal edema (Figure 2). There was no ulceration under the bushing and micturition was possible. The first attempt to remove the bushing involved wrapping the penis with a 2-inch wide elastic bandage. It became apparent that this would not successfully reduce the penile edema to a diameter smaller than that of the inner bearing diameter. Next, proximal milking of the edema was attempted for 45 to 60 min. This permitted the metal device to be moved approximately 5 cm distally. Finally, a modified string technique using a latex band (56.0 cm 3 1.7 cm) used to secure urinary leg bags was suggested during a urology consult. The latex band was pulled proximally under the steel ring by a hemostat (Figure 3). The long end of the band distal to the bushing was carefully wrapped, with 4/5 of each width covered by the next wrapping, to reduce the edema to a diameter compatible with the inner bearing diameter (Figure 4). A water-based lubricant was then applied to the band and traction was exerted on its
The Crystal Structure of Arsenic Triiodide, As I 3

The crystal structure of arsenic triiodide has been investigated by means of Laue, powder, and oscillation photographs. It is shown to be a layer lattice. The underlying lattice is ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\mathrm{Th}}$ and the space group ${{C}_{3i}}^{2}$. The unit rhombohedron has dimensions $r=8.25$ A and $\ensuremath{\alpha}={51}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}{20}^{\ensuremath{'}}$; there are two molecules to the unit cell. The coordinates of the atoms are arsenic $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\mathrm{uuu}$ where $u={60}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$; iodine $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\mathrm{xyz}$, $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\mathrm{zxy}$, $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\mathrm{yzx}$ where $x={152}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$, $y={28}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$, $z=\ensuremath{-}{90}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$. Distances of closest approach of iodine are about 4.28A and 4.13A and of arsenic and iodine about 2.97A. The iodine ions are in hexagonal close packing; each arsenic ion is surrounded by six iodine ions.
Nonlinear time-varying feedback systems: &#8466; p -stability [1 &#8804; p &#8804; &#8734;]

An L p -stability criterion [ 1 \leq p \leq \infty ] is given for a multi-input multi-output feedback system characterized by the functional equation g = h + \bar{L}\bar{N}h , when the linear operator \bar{L} is a convolution, whose kernel includes a sequence of delta functions, a polynomial term, and a finite number of increasing exponential terms, and when the nonlinear time-varying operator \bar{N} is memoryless. When p = 2 , the primary ingredient of the criterion is a frequency-domain condition on the linear part of the system. This frequency-domain condition is the critical disk criterion when the system has only one input and one output.
Adolescents involvement in non-romantic sexual activity.

The majority of teens are having sex, however, we know little about sex that occurs outside the traditional dating context and the factors associated with these non-romantic sexual experiences. Prior work indicates that healthy sexual behaviors depend on the relationship context of sexual intercourse, but research on the characteristics of teens who engage in non-romantic sex is limited. We use two waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to analyze adolescents' reports of non-romantic sexual intercourse, and whether key protective and risk factors as well as normative orientations distinguish the context within which sexual activity occurs. We find that the majority of sexually active teens have had some sexual experience outside of a romantic relationship. We conclude that teenagers' sexual experiences are not static over time, because 60% of sexually active teenagers have had sex in both romantic and non-romantic contexts. Our multivariate analyses indicate that the teen's normative beliefs have significant effects on teenage non-romantic sexual activity. The traditional risk and protective factors often are not related to teens' decisions about sexual partners. These results have implications for our understanding and encouragement of healthy adolescent sexual behaviors.
How climate influences sea-floor topography

Earth's sea floor is created along great volcanic ridges that spread at rates of a few centimeters per year beneath every ocean basin. The volcanic and tectonic processes at these mid-ocean ridges ultimately determine the characteristics of the sea floor and the oceanic crust beneath it. These processes occur beneath several kilometers of rock and seawater, seemingly far removed from climatic variations above sea level. Thus, it is surprising that both Crowley et al. ( 1 ), on page 1237 in this issue, and Tolstoy ( 2 ) found ice age periodicity in hilly topography on the flanks of ridges submerged beneath the Southern and Pacific Oceans.
Outcomes of continent catheterizable stomas for urinary and fecal incontinence: comparison among different tissue options.

OBJECTIVE To retrospectively review the outcome of appendix, transverse tubularized intestine segments, caecal flap, gastric tube and others tissue options used as a continent stoma for urinary and fecal incontinence. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between January 1993 and January 2003 we created 179 continent stomas to treat urinary and fecal incontinence in 135 patients (81 females and 54 males; mean age at surgery 13 years, 118, 87%, aged <17 years). We used either appendix (112), a short segment of bowel following the Yang-Monti technique (49), gastric augment single pedicle tube (eight), caecal flap (seven), Casale continent vesicostomy (two) and Meckel's diverticulum (one). Thirty-six patients had both urinary and fecal continent stomas created. RESULTS The mean follow-up for the appendix group was 46 months for the urinary stoma and 23 months for the Malone antegrade continent enema (MACE) stoma. Stoma-related complications occurred in 24 of 112 (21%) patients; there was complete channel fibrosis in five (4%). The mean follow-up for the Yang-Monti group was 38 months for the urinary and 59.2 months for the MACE stoma. There were stoma-related problems in 11 of 49 (22%) patients, with complete channel fibrosis in three (6%). Overall, in the long-term follow-up, there were stoma-related complications in 42 of 179 (23.5%) procedures. CONCLUSIONS Continent catheterizable stomas are a feasible and reliable method for treating urinary and fecal incontinence. Long-term success can be accomplished with appendix, transverse tubularized intestinal segments and caecal flaps, with similar complication rates in all groups. Surgeon preference and individual patient status should determine the surgical technique to be used.
Error Extensions to GOMS Modeling: Age-Related Predictions of Error in a Mobile Phone Task:

Human error is pervasive (Kirwan, 1994), and its consequences are often costly (e.g. time, money) or even deadly (e.g. Neumann, 1995). Yet, many types of human fallibility are not anomalous occurre...
COMMON TOPICS IN PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY

This article outlines the perioperative and long-term management of children undergoing tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, tympanostomy with tube insertion, and sinus surgery. Indications for complications of each of the procedures is reviewed in this article. The authors also cover the management of children with tracheostomies. Several questions frequently asked by parents of children with a tracheostomy are addressed.
The Crystal Structure of a Binary Complex of Two Pseudopilins: EpsI And EpsJ From the Type 2 Secretion System of Vibrio Vulnificus

Type II secretion systems (T2SS) translocate virulence factors from the periplasmic space of many pathogenic bacteria into the extracellular environment. The T2SS of Vibrio cholerae and related species is called the extracellular protein secretion (Eps) system that consists of a core of multiple copies of 11 different proteins. The pseudopilins, EpsG, EpsH, EpsI, EpsJ and EpsK, are five T2SS proteins that are thought to assemble into a pseudopilus, which is assumed to interact with the outer membrane pore, and may actively participate in the export of proteins. We report here biochemical evidence that the minor pseudopilins EpsI and EpsJ from Vibrio species interact directly with one another. Moreover, the 2.3 A resolution crystal structure of a complex of EspI and EpsJ from Vibrio vulnificus represents the first atomic resolution structure of a complex of two different pseudopilin components from the T2SS. Both EpsI and EpsJ appear to be structural extremes within the family of type 4a pilin structures solved to date, with EpsI having the smallest, and EpsJ the largest, "variable pilin segment" seen thus far. A high degree of sequence conservation in the EpsI:EpsJ interface indicates that this heterodimer occurs in the T2SS of a large number of bacteria. The arrangement of EpsI and EpsJ in the heterodimer would correspond to a right-handed helical character of proteins assembled into a pseudopilus.
Transforming growth factor-alpha delays gastric emptying and small intestinal transit in suckling rats.

Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) is a biologically potent polypeptide detected in the gastrointestinal tract in suckling rats. The major goal of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the administration of TGF-alpha affects gastric emptying and small intestinal transit in suckling rats. Suckling (12-day-old) rats fasted 16 h received rat TGF-alpha subcutaneously (s.c.) or orogastrically in varying doses (0, 0.5, 1.0 microg/rat in 0.1% BSA). Control animals received 0.1% BSA only. Poly R-478 dye was used as a motility marker. Rats were decapitated 45 min after marker administration and the amount of dye in the stomach and the small intestine was measured by spectrophotometry. Subcutaneous administration of TGF-alpha significantly delayed stomach evacuation. In controls, the stomach contained 21.4 +/- 1.4% (mean +/- s(x)) of the Poly R-478 marker, whereas in TGF-alpha treated rats the stomach contained 37.2 +/- 2.8% of the total Poly R-478 dye given to animals. The delaying effect of TGF-alpha was time- and dose-dependent. Small intestinal transit was also significantly delayed. The proximal jejunum of TGF-alpha treated rats contained a 1.4-fold higher amount of marker in comparison with control rats. Orogastrically administered rTGF-alpha did not affect gastric emptying or intestinal transit. In conclusion, s.c. administration of rat TGF-alpha significantly delayed the gastrointestinal motility in vivo in suckling rats.
Mercury in biomass feedstock and combustion residuals.

An exploratory survey of the mercury content of some common California biomass feedstocks shows that the concentrations are well below EPA toxicity levels with representative feedstock concentrations of 20 ppb for rice straw, 28 ppb for wheat straw, and 32 ppb for whole-tree wood chips. The temporal variability for rice straw (17-20 ppb) is near the analytical uncertainty (∼2 ppb). Saline-irrigated feedstock does not contain greatly higher mercury contents (17-38 ppb) compared to normally irrigated feedstock. Water leaching has likewise no detectable effects on mercury mobility, despite an up to 30% increase in the Hg concentrations attributable to mass losses during leaching. Combustion at temperatures of at least 575°C results in complete volatilization of mercury leaving solid ash and slag residuals with mercury contents at or near the lower limit of detection (5 ppb). The mercury strongly concentrated in fly ash can reach concentrations up to 40 times (<1,166 ppb) the corresponding fuel concentrations.
Sequence analysis of the serotonin transporter and associations with antidepressant response.

Background The serotonin transporter is the molecular target of many antidepressants, and the gene ( SLC6A4 ) encoding this protein has been associated with response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). We sought to test further the hypothesis that SLC6A4 is associated with SSRI response by resequencing this gene in subjects with major depression. Methods The sequence of all exons, parts of all introns, and the promoter region containing a polymorphic repeat polymorphism (HTTLPR) previously associated with SSRI response was determined for 96 subjects, and variants were tested for association to treatment response with fluoxetine. Results We screened a total of 712 kilobases of sequence and found 27 SLC6A4 variants, 21 of which were previously undescribed. Seventeen were seen on one chromosome each, including three of the five exonic variants. One polymorphism (rs25531), just upstream of the HTTLPR, showed evidence of an association with treatment response, and biochemical experiments showed this polymorphism altered binding of nuclear extracts to a consensus sequence for the activator protein 2 transcription factor, which is believed to be a critical factor in regulating neural gene expression in mammals. Conclusions These results support an association between response to SSRIs and deoxyribonucleic acid variation at the serotonin transporter locus. We have also identified a potentially important functional variant that contributes to this association and a possible biologic mechanism that could mediate its effect.
Pedagogies from No-Where, a Review of Edutopias: New Utopian Thinking in Education

(2007). Pedagogies from No‐Where, a Review of Edutopias: New Utopian Thinking in Education. Educational Philosophy and Theory: Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 216-220.
Lunar surface: Sputtering and secondary ion mass spectrometry

Laboratory and Apollo observations are combined to describe the sputtering of the lunar surface and the composition of the ejecta with special reference to O. The atmospheric inventory appears to be dominated by micrometeorite vaporization of lunar grains. Sputtering effects are observable in the local plasma due to ion ejection, in the extended atmosphere through energetic neutral ejection, and on grain surfaces through the chemical fractionation of the redoposited sputter-ejecta. Ionization of the micrometeorite-vapor also contributes to the local plasma.
The Role of Microbes in Crohn's Disease

Despite decades of research, the etiology of Crohn's disease (CD) remains unknown. Its pathogenesis may involve a complex interplay between host genetics, immune dysfunction, and microbial or environmental factors. Microorganisms, including pathogens and members of the indigenous microbiota, may initiate or propagate the inflammatory process in CD. The pathogenesis of CD has been difficult to study, owing to the broad spectrum of typically nonspecific clinical manifestations, the complexity of environmental and genetic factors, the lack of an accurate model of disease, and the limitations of microbiological methods. A more useful and relevant paradigm for the etiology of CD might be based on the idea of a pathogenic microbial community profile and might emphasize the role of interactive sets of microbes, rather than the role of individual organisms. We review how microbes may participate in the pathogenesis of CD and how they may inappropriately activate the mucosal immune system in genetically predisposed individuals.
Robotic-assisted laparoscopic adrenalectomy

The laparoscopic technology has presented new frontiers to adrenal surgery thus enabling modification and refinement of established conventional procedures. The integration of robots into adrenal surgery has made it feasible to offer alternatives to patients requiring surgical treatment of adrenal disorders. The robotic assistance may allow more surgeons, with limited conventional laparoscopic experience to offer to their patients a mini invasive approach.
Tu1611 Prevention of Esophageal Stent Migration in Benign Disease: Clip, Suture, or Do Nothing? a Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

esophagram 8 days after stenting (3 sutures) noted migration. Replacement and resuturing 3 days later was successful without further migration. In the third, gastric migration occurred 29 days after stenting (2 sutures) of a benign stricture. Conclusion: In the largest series reported to date, endoscopic suturing of esophageal FCSEMS was associated with migration in 13%. Larger, comparative series are needed to evaluate whether suturing decreases migration compared to FCSEMS placement alone.
Correcting for Mood-Induced Bias in the Evaluation of Political Candidates: The Roles of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation:

Participants were induced to feel either happy or sad while reading an article that described a politician’s stand on issues. When participants were unmotivated to evaluate the candidate at the time they read the article, they evaluated him more favorably when they were happy than when they were not. However, when participants were either intrinsically or extrinsically motivated to evaluate the candidate, they adjusted their evaluations to compensate for the biasing influence of the target-irrelevant affect they were experiencing. In fact, they overadjusted, reporting less favorable evaluations of him when they were happy than when they were not. These adjustments for bias occurred on-line, as the candidate’s issue stands were presented, rather than after all of the judgment-relevant information had been received.
Exploring frequency differences of physiological processes to enhance dynamic FDG-PET without blood function

Due to the difference between the glucose utilization rates of malignant and normal tissue, the observed dynamic FDG-PET time activity curve (TAC) of malignant tissue increases in time, whereas, the normal tissue's TAC washouts with time. This paper aims at exploiting this temporal difference in frequency domain to characterize the behaviors of the individual physiological function, defined as the convolution of the input blood function and an exponential function with decay factor /spl beta/, for malignance and normal tissue, respectively. We proved that for a given dynamic acquisition time duration T, there exists a value /spl beta/*, differing for each patient, such that the physiological functions monotonically increase in the acquisition period T if the decay factor /spl beta/ /spl beta/*. Based on the facts that FDG uptake, which reflects glucose metabolic rate, increases in tumor cell while decreases in normal tissue, we claim that the physiological functions with /spl beta/ /spl beta/* are associated to normal tissues. In this paper, we first map such temporal differences in malignancy and normal tissue to frequency domain, then design a low pass filter whose cut-off frequency is selected to suppress the frequency components mainly attributed to the normal tissues. The dependence of the cutoff frequency of the low pass filter on the decay factor of the physiological functions is also addressed. An image enhancement method based on the frequency domain property of the TAC is proposed and tested with both digital phantom and clinical data. One advantage of this method is that no blood function is needed for image enhancement process. Our results from clinic and phantom data show that the tumor to background contrast can be substantially improved.
Impact of genetic background on nephropathy in diabetic mice

With the goal of identifying optimal platforms for developing better models of diabetic nephropathy in mice, we compared renal effects of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes among five common inb...
In Defense of a Broad Conception of Experimental Philosophy

Experimental philosophy is often presented as a new movement that avoids many of the difficulties that face traditional philosophy. This article distin- guishes two views of experimental philosophy: a narrow view in which philoso- phers conduct empirical investigations of intuitions, and a broad view which says that experimental philosophy is just the colocation in the same body of (i) philo- sophical naturalism and (ii) the actual practice of cognitive science. These two positions are rarely clearly distinguished in the literature about experimental phi- losophy, both pro and con. The article argues, first, that the broader view is the only plausible one; discussions of experimental philosophy should recognize that the narrow view is a caricature of experimental philosophy as it is currently done. It then shows both how objections to experimental philosophy are transformed and how positive recommendations can be provided by adopting a broad concep- tion of experimental philosophy.
Prospective Study of the Frequency and Size Distribution of Polyps Missed by Colonoscopy

An important determinant in interpreting the results of colorectal polyp chemoprevention trials is the rate of polyps missed during colonscopic examination. We prospectively examined 90 patients by tandem colonoscopy performed by two alternating examiners. In 69 (76.7%) patients, 221 neoplastic lesions were documented histologically. Of a total of 58 lesions detected in 31 patients, no neoplastic lesion greater than or equal to 10 mm in size was missed; 16% of diminutive (less than or equal to 5 mm) neoplastic polyps and 12.3% of medium-sized (6-9 mm) neoplastic polyps were missed by the first examiner. We conclude that an experienced colonoscopist will miss about 15% of colorectal neoplastic polyps less than 10 mm in size in the setting of adequate bowel preparation. Large (greater than or equal to 10 mm) polyps were rarely missed, however, with the "miss" rate in our study equal to 0, with a 95% confidence limit of 4.64%.
Poverty as a Form of Violence

Abstract This paper advances the theory that poverty is one of the deadliest forms of violence. Together, poverty and violence are a potent force that is antithetical to the collective well-being of our society. Existing data reveal that the correlation between poverty and violence is statistically significant. The vast discrepancy between the prosperity of the rich and the profound deprivation of the poor in this country suggest that a structural perspective may be particularly instructive. Poverty as a form of violence will be examined in terms of four interrelated variables and a set of recommendations for change will be proposed.
Plasma Membrane Distribution of Metalloproteinases and Cysteine Proteinases in Metastatic Human Cancer Cells

There has been considerable interest in the mechanism by which cancer cells invade and destroy normal host tissues and cells during the process of cancer invasion [1, 2]. Initial studies with tumours were based on the observation that cancer cells release plasminogen activator, a serine proteinase that is responsible for the initiation of fibrin digestion [3]. More recently, it has been demonstrated that cancer cells release other types of proteinase, besides hydrolases other than proteinases, that appear to be responsible for the digestion of connective tissue structural proteins, e.g. interstitial and basement-membrane collagens, fibronectin and laminin, and proteoglycan-like ground substances [1, 2] (cf. J.K. McDonald et al., #E-6, this vol.-Ed.). Fig. 1 provides an overview of the steps postulated to be requisite for cancer cells to invade and destroy normal tissue. They must be able not only to digest host tissue but also to migrate from the primary tumour mass to penetrate capillaries and venules, thereby gaining access to the bloodstream.
The Impact of Training on School Professionals' Knowledge, Beliefs, and Behaviors regarding HIV/AIDS and Adolescent Homosexuality

: The impact of training on secondary school professionals' knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors regarding HIV/AIDS and adolescent homosexuality was examined. Subjects (79 introductory and 50 advanced trainees) and 58 controls (no prior training) were systematically sampled from professionals in a statewide demonstration program to prevent HIV transmission among gay and bisexual youth. Subjects completed mailed, self-administered surveys based on the curriculum. The overall response rate was 79%. Trainees scored significantly higher than controls on knowledge pertaining to HIV and adolescent homosexuality. They also reported using greater numbers of strategies to teach students about homosexuality and to improve the milieu for homosexual students. Training at any level was independently associated with constructive behaviors, while controlling for demographic characteristics. Advanced learners were most knowledgeable and least reliant on informal sources of information. They were more likely than others to teach about homosexuality and to refer homosexual students to community services. Findings supported the hypothesized benefits of the intervention. Schools that mandate AIDS education should help staff confront the difficult issue of adolescent homosexuality.
Cognitive Correlates of Subjective Well-Being: The Processing of Valenced Life Events by Happy and Unhappy Persons

Abstract In a two-phase study, we examined the relations of subjective well-being with the cognitive processing of affectively valenced life events. In Phase 1, both more intense and more enduring reactions to positive life events than negative ones were associated with higher well-being, and for intensity of reactions, this relation was stronger for those events that were subsequently recalled. When equal numbers of positive and negative life events were eligible for recall, well-being was unrelated to the relative likelihood of recalling the two types of events. Phase 2 suggested that life events are organized in memory according to the domain in which they occur but not according to their valence. However, neither the organization nor the retrieval of life events correlated with well-being. In combination, these findings suggest that cognitive processes associated with the encoding of life events, but neither the organization nor the retrieval of these events, are associated with subjective well-being.
Mechanisms of human prehension

Two neural network models of human prehension are reviewed. The first model simulates coordination of the reach and grasp components of prehension. Simulations of this model produce realistic timing of the velocity peaks of reach and grasp; realistic scaling of peak grasp size with reach velocity and target grasp size; and realistic adaptation of reach and grasp to perturbations of initial grasp size, target grasp size, and target reach position. The second model simulates control of the load and grip forces of prehension. Simulations of this model produce realistic grip force anticipation; realistic learning of adequate grip forces for different object weights and textures; and realistic timing of peak grip forces. Future studies will investigate learning of adequate peak grasp sizes and timing, and reactions of grip forces to unexpected changes of object weight and texture
Aspects of the chiral quark model

We point out intriguing connections between the chiral quark model in which the nucleon is treated as a soliton and the ordinary potential-binding quark model. The axial-vector coupling comes out near the value (5/3 rather than around 0.7 as in the Skyrme description and can be easily ''fine-tuned'' to its experimental value. A ''linear potential'' in some sense is generated as a collective effect of the ''meson cloud.'' Contact with QCD is made by introducing a gluonium field so as to satisfy the trace-anomaly equation. In the simplest treatment of this field one predicts a scalar-isoscalar state at 900 MeV in agreement with a recent analysis of experiments. The model is used to discuss how a ''nontrivial winding number'' emerges for the meson fields. A number of additional features of the model are treated.
Indicator functions and the algebra of the linear-quadratic parameterization

Indicator functions are constructed under the linear-quadratic parameterization for contrasts, and applied to the study of partial aliasing properties for three-level fractional factorial designs. An algebraic operation is introduced for the calculation of indicator function coefficients. This operation connects design construction methods to the analysis under the linear-quadratic system, and helps establish simple conditions for the estimability of interactions.
Measurement depth of the cosmic ray soil moisture probe affected by hydrogen from various sources

[1] We present here a simple and robust framework for quantifying the effective sensor depth of cosmic ray soil moisture neutron probes such that reliable water fluxes may be computed from a time series of cosmic ray soil moisture. In particular, we describe how the neutron signal depends on three near-surface hydrogen sources: surface water, soil moisture, and lattice water (water in minerals present in soil solids) and also their vertical variations. Through a combined modeling study of one-dimensional water flow in soil and neutron transport in the atmosphere and subsurface, we compare average water content between the simulated soil moisture profiles and the universal calibration equation which is used to estimate water content from neutron counts. By using a linear sensitivity weighting function, we find that during evaporation and drainage periods the RMSE of the two average water contents is 0.0070 m 3 m � 3 with a maximum deviation of 0.010 m 3 m � 3 for a range of soil types. During infiltration, the RMSE is 0.011 m 3 m � 3 with a maximum deviation of 0.020 m 3 m � 3 , where piston like flow conditions exists for the homogeneous isotropic media. Because piston flow is unlikely during natural conditions at the horizontal scale of hundreds of meters that is measured by the cosmic ray probe, this modeled deviation of 0.020 m 3 m � 3 represents the worst case scenario for cosmic ray sensing of soil moisture. Comparison of cosmic ray soil moisture data and a distributed sensor soil moisture network in Southern Arizona indicates an RMSE of 0.011 m 3 m � 3 over a
The action potential: from voltage-gated conductances to molecular structures

The nerve impulse, or action potential, is afast transient change in the membranepotential of excitable cells that canpropagate along axons or muscle fibers andconstitutes the bit of information thatallows communication in the nervoussystem. During the action potential, themembrane voltage goes from its restingvalue of about -70 mV (negative inside) toabout +30 mV in less than 1 ms and returnsto its resting value in a few milliseconds.Much of what we have learned on themechanisms of the generation andpropagation of the action potential has beenusing the giant axon of the squid, whichallowed the introduction of electrodes intoits axoplasm. Thus, Cole and Curtis (1939)were able to measure impedance changesconcomitant with the action potential andfound that the membrane conductanceincreased dramatically while the membranecapacitance was essentially constant.Subsequently, Hodgkin and Katz (1949)demonstrated that external Na ions wererequired to initiate the action potential,suggesting that the large increase inmembrane conductance during the risingphase of the action potential was selectiveto Na ions. The detailed studies of themechanisms in the generation andpropagation of the action potential werehampered by the nonlinear nature of theaction potential and the propagation itself:the membrane potential is both function oftime and distance (
Regulated covalent modifications of lipid A.

Regulated covalent modifications of lipid A are implicated in virulence of pathogenic Gram- negative bacteria. The Salmonella PhoP/PhoQ-activated gene pagP is required for resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides and for biosynthesis of hepta-acylated lipid A species containing palmitate. Interestingly, pagP encodes an unusual enzyme of lipid A biosynthesis localized in the outer membrane, whereas all previously characterized lipid A enzymes are cytoplasmic or associated with the inner membrane. PagP is not unique, however, as pagL encodes another outer membrane enzyme in Salmonella that deacylates the 3 position of lipid A. S. typhimurium also synthesizes S-2-hydroxymyristate modified lipid A in a PhoP/PhoQ- dependent manner. We postulated that 2-hydroxylation might be catalyzed by a novel dioxygenase. Using well-characterized dioxygenase sequences as probes, tBLASTn searches revealed unassigned open reading frame(s) with similarity to mammalian aspartyl β-hydroxylases in bacteria known to make 2-hydroxyacylated lipid A. The S. typhimurium aspartyl β-hydroxylase homologue (lpxO) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli K-12, which does not contain lpxO. Analysis of the resulting construct revealed that lpxO expression induces O 2 -dependent formation of 2- hydroxymyristate-modified lipid A in E. coli. LpxO may be an inner membrane enzyme that catalyzes Fe 2+ /ascorbate/α-ketoglutarate dependent hydroxylation of lipid A. We propose that 2- hydroxymyristate released from LPS inside infected animal cells might be converted to 2- hydroxymyristoyl coenzyme A, a potent inhibitor of protein N-myristoyl transferase.
Land surface skin temperature climatology: benefitting from the strengths of satellite observations

Surface skin temperature observations (Tskin), as obtained by satellite remote sensing, provide useful climatological information of high spatial resolution and global coverage that enhances the traditional ground observations of surface air temperature (Tair) and so, reveal new information about land surface characteristics. This letter analyzes nine years of moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) skin temperature observations to present monthly skin temperature diurnal, seasonal, and inter-annual variations at a 0.05° latitude/longitude grid over the global land surface and combines these measurements with other MODIS-based variables in an effort to understand the physical mechanisms responsible for Tskin variations. In particular, skin temperature variations are found to be closely related to vegetation cover, clouds, and water vapor, but to differ from 2 m surface Tair in terms of both physical meaning and magnitude. Therefore, the two temperatures (Tskin and Tair) are complementary in their contribution of valuable information to the study of climate change.