cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Novel Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Identified by High-Throughput Transcriptional Screening of a Compound Library

Libraries of compounds are increasingly becoming commercially available for the use of individual academic laboratories. A high-throughput system based on a stably integrated transcriptional reporter was used to screen a library of random compounds to identify agents that conferred robust augmentation of a signal transduction pathway. A novel histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, termed scriptaid, conferred the greatest effect, a 12- to 18-fold augmentation. This facilitation of transcriptional events was generally applicable to exogenous gene constructs, including viral and cellular promoters, different cell lines and reporter genes, and stably integrated and transiently introduced sequences. Scriptaid did not interfere with a further induction provided by stimulation of the cognate signal transduction pathway (transforming growth factor beta/Smad4), which implied the functional independence of ligand-stimulated transcriptional activation and histone acetylation states in this system. Additional insights into this and other signal transduction systems are likely to be afforded through the application of compound screening technologies.
The value of agricultural wetlands as invertebrate resources for wintering shorebirds

Abstract Agricultural landscapes have received little recognition for the food resources they provide to wintering waterbirds. In the Willamette Valley of Oregon, modest yet significant populations of wintering shorebirds (Charadriiformes) regularly use hundreds of dispersed wetlands on agricultural lands. Benthic invertebrates are a critical resource for the survival of overwintering shorebirds, yet the abundance of invertebrate resources in agricultural wetlands such as these has not been quantified. To evaluate the importance of agricultural wetlands to a population of wintering shorebirds, the density, biomass, and general community composition of invertebrates available to birds were quantified at a sample of Willamette Valley sites during a wet (1999–2000) and a dry winter (2000–2001). Invertebrate densities ranged among wetlands from 173 to 1925 (mean ± S.E.: 936 ± 106) individuals/m2 in the wet winter, and from 214 to 3484 (1028 ± 155) individuals/m2 in the dry winter. Total invertebrate estimated biomass among wetlands ranged from 35 to 652 (mean ± S.E.: 364 ± 35) mg/m2 in the wet winter, and from 85 to 1405 (437 ± 62) mg/m2 in the dry winter. These estimates for food abundance were comparable to that observed in some other important freshwater wintering regions in North America.
Diagnosis of thymoma

The diagnosis of thymic epithelial neoplasm has been a topic of controversy for many years. Reasons for this include the lack of predictive value associated with the morphology of these tumours and the multiplicity of classification schemes and terminologies proposed over the years. Recently, a new classification schema was introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) in an attempt to standardise nomenclature and facilitate the diagnosis of primary thymic epithelial neoplasms. This schema, although not originally intended as a new histological classification, but rather as a means for translating equivalent terms from the various existing classifications, has represented a major step forward in this direction. However, problems still exist with the WHO schema, particularly with some of the criteria for the various histological subtypes as well as with issues of interobserver reproducibility. For this reason, we favour using a much more simplified approach to the morphological classification of thymic epithelial neoplasms. A personal approach to the morphological diagnosis of thymoma is described, with a brief explanation for the rationale for simplifying the existing diagnostic categories.
A combination of metabolic labeling and 2D-DIGE analysis in response to a farnesyltransferase inhibitor facilitates the discovery of new prenylated proteins

Protein prenylation is a post-translational modification required for proper cellular localization and activity of many important eukaryotic proteins. Farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) have been explored extensively for their antitumor activity. To assist in identifying potentially new and more useful markers for therapeutic applications, we developed a strategy that uses a combination of metabolic labeling and 2D DIGE (differential gel electrophoresis) to discover new prenylated proteins whose cellular levels are influenced by FTIs. In this approach, metabolic labeling of prenylated proteins was first carried out with an alkyne-modified isoprenoid analog, C15Alk, in the presence or absence of the FTI L-744,832. The resulting alkyne-tagged proteins were then labeled with Cy3-N3 and Cy5-N3 and subjected to 2D-DIGE. Multiple spots having altered levels of labeling in presence of the FTI were observed. Mass spectrometric analysis of some of the differentially labeled spots identified several known prenylated proteins, along with HisRS, PACN-3, GNAI-1 and GNAI-2, which are not known to be prenylated. In vitro farnesylation of a C-terminal peptide sequence derived from GNAI-1 and GNAI-2 produced a farnesylated product, suggesting GNAI-1 and GNAI-2 are potential novel farnesylated proteins. These results suggest that this new strategy could be useful for the identification of prenylated proteins whose level of post-translational modification has been modulated by the presence of an FTI. Additionally, this approach, which decreases sample complexity and thereby facilitates analysis, should be applicable to studies of other post-translational modifications as well.
Low-Pass and Bandpass Alternative Ultraviolet Photoconductor Based on Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Intrinsic Gallium Nitride-Based Substrate

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles created by top-down wet-chemistry synthesis were deposited onto intrinsic epitaxial grown gallium nitride-based substrates. Aluminum (Al) was evaporated through a shadow mask to form photoconductors. Visible-blind ultraviolet (UV) response has been recorded as high as 0.8 A/W at 375 nm. Experiments demonstrated that the photoconductors exhibited either a low-pass or bandpass spectral response depending on the illumination directions.
A microtourniquet carrier for use in the microsurgical laboratory

The construction of a simple, inexpensive microtourniquet carrier is described. The carrier can be made from materials readily available in the microsurgical laboratory or the operating room. The carrier increases the ease of occluding a vessel with a microtourniquet and increases the speed of applying a number of tourniquets sequentially, thereby making the microtourniquet an attractive alternative to the more expensive and less flexible microvascular clip for temporary vascular occlusion.
Magnetic Lieb-Thirring inequalities

We study the generalizations of the well-known Lieb-Thirring inequality for the magnetic Schrodinger operator with nonconstant magnetic field. Our main result is the naturally expected magnetic Lieb-Thirring estimate on the moments of the negative eigenvalues for a certain class of magnetic fields (including even some unbounded ones). We develop a localization technique in path space of the stochastic Feynman-Kac representation of the heat kernel which effectively estimates the oscillatory effect due to the magnetic phase factor.
Tunable mechanical properties of self-assembled SWNT/polymer nanocomposite films for MEMS

This paper presents layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembled single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)/ polymer nanocomposite films with a large range of tunable mechanical properties, characterized by a combinative approach of piezoelectric excitation and laser vibrometer measurement. The Young's modulus of SWNT/polymer nanocomposites is tunable from hundreds to tens of GPa, as a function of the SWNT volume fraction. This tunability can serve as a benchmark to tailor the nanocomposite thin films for potential applications to MEMS and NEMS devices, such as nanoswitches, nanoresonators, and biosensors.
Sterols in yeast subcellular fractions.

Yeast is the most primitive organism synthesizing substantial amounts of sterols. Because of this eucaryotic organism's versatility in growth conditions, ease of culture, well-defined genetic mechanism, and characteristic subcellar architecture, it is readily applied to studies of the role of sterols in the general economy of the cell. Sterols exist in two major form, as the free sterol, or esterified with long chain fatty acids. The importance of sterols for this organism can be demonstrated using a naturally occurring antimycotic azasterol. This agent inhibits yeast growth. Three effects are seen on sterol synthesis: inhibition of the enzymes Δ14-reductase, sterol methyltransferase, and methylene reductase. Cells cultured on respiratory substrates are more sensitive to inhibition than are cells growing on glucose. We have demonstrated a relationship between respiratory competency and sterol biosynthesis in this organism. Many mutants altered in sterol synthesis are respirationally defective and must growth fermentatively. One clone has temperature conditional respiration. Experiments with purified mitochondria, perpared from this mutant and its isogenic wildtype, show that the mutant organism is able to respire at the higher temperature but lacks the ability to couple respiration to phosphorylation. No similar loss is seen in the wild-type clones. Data are given which support the proposal that, for inclusion in mitochondrial structures, yeast cells may discriminate among sterols available from the total sterol pool in favor of ergosterol.
Proton Pump Inhibitors Interfere With Zinc Absorption and Zinc Body Stores

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) cause a sharp elevation of gastro-duodenal luminal pH which in turn has resulted in reports of reduced absorption of magnesium and certain other nutrients. Methods: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients on long-term PPI therapy (> 6 months) or healthy test subjects (not on any acid preventive or neutralizing medication) were administered oral doses of zinc gluconate (26.2 mg zinc, twice daily) for 14 days followed by 5 cc venous blood samples. Plasma was analyzed for total zinc content by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Baseline plasma and red blood cell zinc levels were also measured in these two groups when not taking any zinc supplementation. Results: Plasma zinc levels of healthy controls increased by 126% during the period of zinc supplementation compared to only a 37% increase for individuals on long-term PPI therapy. On their normal diet (with no zinc supplementation), PPI-users had a 28% lower plasma zinc level than healthy controls (P < 0.005). Conclusions: PPI use dramatically reduces supplemental zinc uptake and can result in decreased zinc body stores. Certain individuals on long-term PPI therapy, such as infants being treated for colic, may be at risk for decreased systemic levels of trace metals needed for developmental, regenerative and immunological requirements.
Adventure Therapy With Youth

This state of knowledge article provides an overview of Adventure Therapy (AT) as it is practiced with adolescents in North America, presenting (a) current findings in AT research with adolescents, (b) critical issues in AT, (c) the need for training and professional development in AT, and (d) professionalization in AT. Implications of current findings in AT research for practitioners, researchers, and consumers of AT services are also discussed.
Facile preparation of high molecular weight, highly conductive poly(2,5-furylene vinylene)

High molecular weight, freestanding films of poly(2,5-furylene vinylene)(PFV) are readily prepared via a water soluble precursor polymer, are electrochemically reversibly donor and acceptor dopable, and reach conductivities as high as 36 S/cm on acceptor doping.
Wool Modification by Activated Vinyl Compounds

Wool has been modified with activated mono- and di-functional vinyl compounds in aqueous, dimethyl sulfoxide, and mixed media. Amino acid and chemical analyses showed that lysine and histidine wool side chains reacted in relative proportions dependent on the specific vinyl compound. Order of reactivity paralleled electronegativity of the activating groups: (1) vinyl sulfone (sulfone group); (2) acrylonitrile (cyano group); (3) tetramethylene diacrylate (ester groups) and N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (amide groups). Reduced solubility in ammonia after peracetic acid oxidation suggests that some difunctional reagents form new crosslinks. Maximum weight gain was about 5%. Hand and color were good. Tear strength was impaired. Both vinyl sulfone and acrylonitrile greatly retarded the supercontraction of felts by hot dimethyl sulfoxide. Acid dyeing tests accord with some blocking of basic dyeing sites. Cross dyeing is a potential application of the observed dye resistance.
Uncertainty and Climate Change Intervention: An Introduction to the Economics of Climate Change

The pressing reality of global climate change has resulted in a great deal of focus on proposals for market-based government intervention. Currently proposed intervention can take one of two forms: either it can achieve reductions in carbon emissions by controlling the quantity of allowable carbon emissions or it can do the same by setting the price of carbon emissions. If we approach the issue of climate change as a classic externality problem and assume perfect information, economic theory suggests that an optimal level of carbon abatement can be achieved by either method. But, with the issue of climate change we are dealing with a host of unknown costs and benefits of abatement, and we cannot be sure that either method will be efficient. Thus, the role of uncertainty must factor into any policy decision. In this paper, we apply theoretical concepts of informational uncertainty to the issue of climate change. We find that depending on the curvatures of the costs and benefit functions, one type of government intervention may be preferable to the other, with arguments made for each case. Our analysis will highlight the need for further research into the anthropogenic causes and effects of climate change, as well as the need for policymakers to consider the role uncertainty and the precautionary principle play when deciding what sort of government intervention policy to pursue.
Declare Your ICC Type

To the Editor: As interest in physical therapy measurement and its reliability has increased over the past several years, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) have been reported in our literature more frequently. A fundamental error in this reporting, perniciously, has escaped this journal's attention: Too few articles report the type of ICC used. Such lacunal reporting obviously is based on the assumption that the ICC is a monolithic estimate of reliability, despite the existence of at least six types of ICCs. I urge this journal to adopt the nomenclature of Shrout and Fleiss.1,2 The chief purpose of an ICC is to enable the researcher to report the reliability of a set of measurements, taking into account mean differences and extraneous sources of variance not relevant to the generalizability of such study results.…
Piedmont Airlines: Discount Seat Allocation (a)

This case concerns the manager of the revenue-enhancement department of an airline who has to decide the optimal number of seats to reserve for discount customers on a particular flight. Historical data are given, as well as probability distributions of demand for both full and discount fares. See also the B case (UVA-QA-0340).
Piceance tight gas reservoir characterization using multicomponent seismic data

The Piceance multicomponent (MC) seismic project has been a multiyear effort evaluating how MC seismic data can be used to define the fault architecture and perform reservoir characterization in tight gas sands. Initial feasibility work looked at well log, borehole seismic, and surface seismic experiments to evaluate the potential of MC seismic data for fracture characterization (Lewallen et al., 2008). Results showed that Piceance tight gas sands are horizontally transverse isotropic (HTI) with anisotropy up to 20% where aligned vertical fractures are present. Additionally, surface seismic data quality is low due to rugged topography and a thick overburden with significant scattering as well as environmental noise.
Extracting Event Patterns from Telemetry Data

Typical low-level telemetry displays provide little support for understanding how a monitored system is changing over time. Similarly, advanced display techniques have not explicitly addressed the representation of change and events. This paper describes a study which seeks to work towards a foundation for displays which highlight coherent units of behavior in system properties (“events”). In the study, 17 medical professionals viewed simulated telemetry from a surgical procedure. A technique adapted from social perception research was used to trace participants' flow of attention to new information as they viewed the case. The results demonstrate that observers dynamically construct higher-level descriptions of system behavior from instantaneous data values, and that these descriptions implicate various types of contextual information.
The Coupon-Prone Consumer: Some Findings Based on Purchase Behavior across Product Classes:

An assumption in prior research on deal-prone or coupon-prone buyers has been that buying on deal is influenced in part by a household's demographic characteristics. One implication is that househo...
Inference Based on the Best-Fitting Model Can Contribute to the Replication Crisis: Assessing Model Selection Uncertainty Using a Bootstrap Approach

Inferences and conclusions drawn from model fitting analyses are commonly based on a single “best fitting” model. If model selection and inference are carried out using the same data model selection, uncertainty is ignored. We illustrate the Type I error inflation that can result from using the same data for model selection and inference, and we then propose a simple bootstrap-based approach to quantify model selection uncertainty in terms of model selection rates. A selection rate can be interpreted as an estimate of the replication probability of a fitted model. The benefits of bootstrapping model selection uncertainty are demonstrated in growth mixture analyses of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth, and a 2-group measurement invariance analysis of the Holzinger–Swineford data.
Model‐based inference for estimating shifts in species distribution, area occupied and centre of gravity

Summary Changing climate is already impacting the spatial distribution of many taxa, including bees, plants, birds, butterflies and fishes. A common goal is to detect range shifts in response to climate change, including changes in the centre of the population's distribution (the centre of gravity, COG), population boundaries and area occupied. Conventional estimators, such as the abundance-weighted average (AWA) estimator for COG, confound range shifts with changes in the spatial distribution of available survey data and may be biased when the distribution of survey data shifts over time. AWA also does not estimate the standard error of COG in individual years and cannot incorporate data from multiple survey designs. To explicitly account for changes in the spatial distribution of survey effort, we propose an alternative species distribution function (SDF) estimator. The SDF approach involves calculating distribution metrics, including COG, population boundary and area occupied, directly from the predicted species distribution or density function. We illustrate the SDF approach using a spatiotemporal model that is available as an r package. Using simulated data, we confirm that the SDF substantially decreases bias in COG estimates relative to the AWA estimator. We then illustrate the method by analysing data from two data sets spanning 1977–2013 for 18 marine fishes along the U.S. West Coast. In our case study, the SDF estimator shows significant northward shifts for six of 18 species (with southward shifts for only 2), where two species (darkblotched and greenstriped rockfishes) have both a northward shift and a decreased area occupied. Pelagic species (e.g. Pacific hake and spiny dogfish) have more variable distribution than bottom-associated species. We also find substantial differences between AWA and SDF estimates of COG that are likely caused by shifts in sampling distribution (which affect the AWA but not the SDF estimator). We caution that common estimators for range shift can yield inappropriate inference whenever sampling designs have shifted over time. We conclude by suggesting further improvements in model-based approaches to analysing climate impacts, including methods addressing the impact of local and regional temperature changes on species distribution.
Application Prospect Analysis of Transgenic Maize in China Based on Maize Diseases and Pests Situation

Based on the trend and reasons of maize diseases and pests arising in China, this paper introduced the research on the process of transgenic maize breeding, and evaluated as breeding direction, adopting variety and commercialized time on GMmaize application in the future in China according to the present situation.
A Vision of the Chemical Engineering Curriculum of the Future.

A dramatic shift in chemical engineering undergraduate education is envisioned, based on discipline-wide workshop discussions that have taken place over the last two years. Faculty from more than 53 universities and industry representatives from 19 companies participated. Through this process broad consensus has been developed regarding basic principles for chemical engineering undergraduate education in the future; these principles address fundamental knowledge, skills and attributes, and methods of engagement with the students. From these principles a new set of organizing principles emerged for the discipline: molecular transformations, broadly interpreted to include chemical and biological systems and physical as well as chemical structural changes; multiscale analysis, from sub-molecular through super-macroscopic scales for physical, chemical, and biological systems; and a systems approach, addressed to all scales and supplying tools to deal with dynamics, complexity, uncertainty, and external factors. The curriculum integrates all organizing principles and basic supportive sciences throughout the educational sequence and moves from simple to complex. The curriculum is consistently infused with relevant and demonstrative laboratory experiences, and opportunities for teaming experiences and use of communication skills (written and oral) are included throughout. The curriculum is also designed so as to address different learning styles and to include a first-year chemical engineering experience. Finally an important theme is the widespread use of relevant and demonstrative examples, which provide open-ended problems and case studies and supply frequent integrative opportunities for students.
Design of a Latin American and Caribbean remote laboratories network

Recent advances in technology have allowed the development of laboratory experiments that do not require the physical presence of a student in a physical laboratory. These experiments are conducted using the internet, using simulation, or actual control and monitoring of real equipment located remotely, or a hybrid of both. This allows potential sharing of resources that could result in reduction in budgets for equipment, personnel and brick-and-mortal space. Remote labs can facilitate offering lab courses online. Besides the technical challenges, there are safety, security, connectivity and scheduling concerns. The IEEE Education Society has formed a Working Group that is developing the Standard for Networked Smart Learning Objects for Online Laboratories (IEEE-SA P1876). Once the standard is adopted, there will be more opportunities to connect resources among universities, potentially producing distributed online laboratories. This paper looks at the design of a network of remote laboratories for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The LAC regions adds to the complexity of the proposed network because of its great diversity. Languages, educational systems, academic schedules, time zones are just some of the aspects in which the diversity is appreciable. This creates a challenging environment to develop collaborative strategies which generate benefits to all. The Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions (LACCEI) is participating in the IEEE P1876 Standard Working Group; with plans to develop a Remote Laboratories Network for the LAC region, collaborating under the Engineering for the Americas initiative and the OAS Ministers of Science and Technology's Working Group 2: Human Capacity Building and Education. This paper presents some existing networks in the region, and proposes a general design and architecture specification of administrative and technical aspects for the LACCEI network for remote laboratories.
Developmental programming: Interaction between prenatal BPA and postnatal overfeeding on cardiac tissue gene expression in female sheep

Epidemiologic studies and studies in rodents point to potential risks from developmental exposure to BPA on cardiometabolic diseases. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly evident that the manifestation and severity of adverse outcomes is the result of interaction between developmental insults and the prevailing environment. Consistent with this premise, recent studies in sheep found prenatal BPA treatment prevented the adverse effects of postnatal obesity in inducing hypertension. The gene networks underlying these complex interactions are not known. mRNA-seq of myocardium was performed on four groups of four female sheep to assess the effects of prenatal BPA exposure, postnatal overfeeding and their interaction on gene transcription, pathway perturbations and functional effects. The effects of prenatal exposure to BPA, postnatal overfeeding, and prenatal BPA with postnatal overfeeding all resulted in transcriptional changes (85-141 significant differentially expressed genes). Although the effects of prenatal BPA and postnatal overfeeding did not involve dysregulation of many of the same genes, they affected a remarkably similar set of biological pathways. Furthermore, an additive or synergistic effect was not found in the combined treatment group, but rather prenatal BPA treatment led to a partial reversal of the effects of overfeeding alone. Many genes previously known to be affected by BPA and involved in obesity, hypertension, or heart disease were altered following these treatments, and AP-1, EGR1, and EGFR were key hubs affected by BPA and/or overfeeding. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:4-18, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Recontextualizing the Concept of the Death Penalty

This essay rejects as unpersuasive the claim that the death penalty does not “deter” or has an actually reverse effect crime rates. It argues that the test of the death penalty’s effectiveness is whether it enhances the legal system’s reputation for dispensing justice. The central liability of capital punishment is the risk of killing innocent people. However, this risk belongs to the death penalty because the ultimate contextualizing fact for the death penalty is that the criminal justice system is run by human beings and therefore mistakes will be made. Institutions whose legitimacy is not robust enough to survive this fact of life are beyond prescription.
Sputtering in a high-flux plasma environment

Abstract Sputtering yield measurements of metals using ion beam devices and high-flux plasma facilities are compared. During light inert gas bombardment, a general decrease in the sputtering yield is observed as the flux of energetic particles to the target increases. However, during heavy inert gas bombardment, the decrease is not observed and measurements agree with ion beams and binary collision approximation calculations. A potential cause, accumulation of gas atoms within the implantation zone, is hypothesized to be the culprit and various in-situ surface diagnostic techniques to measure the gas composition in the near surface of the metal targets are discussed.
Plasmonic Thermal Decomposition/Digestion of Proteins: A Rapid On-Surface Protein Digestion Technique for Mass Spectrometry Imaging.

A method based on plasmon surface resonance absorption and heating was developed to perform a rapid on-surface protein thermal decomposition and digestion suitable for imaging mass spectrometry (MS) and/or profiling. This photothermal process or plasmonic thermal decomposition/digestion (plasmonic-TDD) method incorporates a continuous wave (CW) laser excitation and gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) to induce known thermal decomposition reactions that cleave peptides and proteins specifically at the C-terminus of aspartic acid and at the N-terminus of cysteine. These thermal decomposition reactions are induced by heating a solid protein sample to temperatures between 200 and 270 °C for a short period of time (10–50 s per 200 μm segment) and are reagentless and solventless, and thus are devoid of sample product delocalization. In the plasmonic-TDD setup the sample is coated with Au-NPs and irradiated with 532 nm laser radiation to induce thermoplasmonic heating and bring about site-specific thermal decomposition ...
Spatiotemporal interpolation and forecast of irradiance data using Kriging

Abstract Solar power variability is a concern to grid operators as unanticipated changes in PV plant power output can strain the electric grid. The main cause of solar variability is clouds passing over PV modules. However, geographic diversity across a region leads to a reduction in the cloud-induced variability. In this paper, spatiotemporal correlations of irradiance data are analyzed and spatial and spatiotemporal ordinary Kriging methods are applied to model irradiation at an arbitrary point based on the given time series of irradiation at some observed locations. The correlations among the irradiances at observed locations are modeled by general parametric covariance functions. Besides the isotropic covariance function (which is independent of direction), a new non-separable anisotropic parametric covariance function is proposed to model the transient clouds. Also, a new approach is proposed to estimate the spatial and temporal decorrelation distances analytically using the applied parametric covariance functions, which reduce the size of the computations without loss in accuracy (parameter shrinkage). The analysis has been performed and the Kriging method is first validated by using two spatially and temporally resolved artificial irradiance datasets generated from Large Eddy Simulation. Then, the spatiotemporal Kriging method is applied on real irradiance and output power data in California (Sacramento and San Diego areas) where the cloud motion had to be estimated during the process using cross-correlation method (CCM). Results confirm that the anisotropic model is most accurate with an average normalized root mean squared error (nRMSE) of 7.92% representing a 66% relative improvement over the persistence model.
Resistance Monitoring of Four Insecticides and a Description of an Artificial Diet Incorporation Method for Chilo suppressalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Chilo suppressalis (Walker; Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is one of the most damaging rice pests in China. Insecticides play a major role in its management. We describe how we monitored the resistance of C. suppressalis to four insecticides in seven field populations from Jiangxi, Hubei, and Hunan Provinces, China, in 2014-2016. The topical application method for resistance monitoring was suitable for triazophos, monosultap, and abamectin. The conventional rice seedling dipping method proved ineffective for testing chlorantraniliprole so the new artificial diet incorporation method was substituted. This new method provided more consistent results than the other methods, once baseline toxicity data had been established. All populations had moderate to high resistance to triazophos from 2014 to 2016. Monosultap resistance in two populations increased from low in 2014 to moderate in 2016 and the other five populations showed moderate to high-level resistance throughout. Abamectin resistance in three populations increased from sensitive or low in 2014 to moderate in 2015-2016, and the other populations had moderate to high levels of resistance. Resistance to chlorantraniliprole increased from sensitive or low in 2014 to moderate to high in 2016. These results suggested that resistance management strategies should be developed according to the needs of a specific location. It was suggested that, in these localities, organophosphate insecticides should be prohibited, the application of nereistoxin, macrolide antibiotic, and diamide insecticides should be limited, and other insecticides, including spinetoram and methoxyfenozide, that exhibited no resistance should be used rationally and in rotation to delay resistance development.
AUTENTICIDAD Y UTOPÍA: EL REPARTO DE LO SENSIBLE EN PEDRO HENRÍQUEZ UREÑA, ALFONSO REYES Y MARIANO PICÓN SALAS

En este trabajo abordo el pensamiento cultural y estetico de Pedro Henriquez Urena, Alfonso Reyes y Mariano Picon Salas. Para ello me centro principalmente en los ensayos que los tres escritores publicaron en los anos veinte y treinta del siglo pasado y destaco las afinidades entre sus planteamientos. Al analizar sus ideas sobre la cultura y la estetica del continente concluyo que los tres intelectuales propusieron una misma ordenacion del mundo. La utopia occidentalista que ellos anhelaban esta marcada por las nociones de consenso y autenticidad y tiene implicaciones politicas.
Two dominant loci determine resistance to Phomopsis cane lesions in F 1 families of hybrid grapevines

Rapid characterization of novel NB-LRR-associated resistance to Phomopsis cane spot on grapevine using high-throughput sampling and low-coverage sequencing for genotyping, locus mapping and transcriptome analysis provides insights into genetic resistance to a hemibiotrophic fungus. Phomopsis cane and leaf spot, caused by the hemibiotrophic fungus Diaporthe ampelina (syn = Phomopsis viticola), reduces the productivity in grapevines. Host resistance was studied on three F1 families derived from crosses involving resistant genotypes ‘Horizon’, Illinois 547-1, Vitis cinerea B9 and V. vinifera ‘Chardonnay’. All families had progeny with extremely susceptible phenotypes, developing lesions on both dormant canes and maturing fruit clusters. Segregation of symptoms was observed under natural levels of inoculum in the field, while phenotypes on green shoots were confirmed under controlled inoculations in greenhouse. High-density genetic maps were used to localize novel qualitative resistance loci named Rda1 and Rda2 from V. cinerea B9 and ‘Horizon’, respectively. Co-linearity between reference genetic and physical maps allowed localization of Rda2 locus between 1.5 and 2.4 Mbp on chromosome 7, and Rda1 locus between 19.3 and 19.6 Mbp of chromosome 15, which spans a cluster of five NB-LRR genes. Further dissection of this locus was obtained by QTL mapping of gene expression values 14 h after inoculation across a subset of the ‘Chardonnay’ × V. cinerea B9 progeny. This provided evidence for the association between transcript levels of two of these NB-LRR genes with Rda1, with increased NB-LRR expression among susceptible progeny. In resistant parent V. cinerea B9, inoculation with D. ampelina was characterized by up-regulation of SA-associated genes and down-regulation of ethylene pathways, suggesting an R-gene-mediated response. With dominant effects associated with disease-free berries and minimal symptoms on canes, Rda1 and Rda2 are promising loci for grapevine genetic improvement.
DNA Evolution Data and Its Relevance to Mammalian Phylogeny

What are the molecular events which result in the evolutionary changes which we see as the appearance of new species? The current view of the role of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) indicates that evolutionary changes at the organism level must have been preceded by some quantitative or qualitative change in DNA. Our interest was to determine the pattern of DNA changes with evolution in the hope that the evidence obtained might give some insights into evolutionary mechanisms.
In Vitro Immune Responses of Lymphoid Cell Populations to Proteins and Peptides

A great deal of valuable information about the immune response has been obtained through studies employing hapten-protein and synthetic peptide systems. Relatively less is known about the immune response to the determinants on proteins. Therefore, in the context of this volume, this chapter considers selected aspects of recent in vitro studies of immune responses to proteins per se—or as carriers for haptens—and to the peptides derived from these proteins. Some genetic, cellular, and molecular aspects of the cooperation of T and B lymphocytes, macrophages, and dendritic-type cells in the induction and maintenance of the antibody response to proteins are stressed. Also summarized are the antibody, proliferative, and differentiative responses and the generation of macrophage inhibitory factor—an in vitro correlate of cellular immunity—upon addition of peptides to lymphoid cells from animals immunized previously with the native proteins from which these peptides were derived. The section on regulation focuses upon the newly emergent findings on the nonspecific modulation of the antibody response by heterologous antigens and by cyclic nucleotides. Finally, the discussion section attempts to put these observations into perspective, and, with broad brush strokes, to paint the rather impressionistic picture of the antibody response that is possible with the available limited infromation about detailed mechanisms.
Thymic measurements in pathologically proven normal thymus and thymic hyperplasia: intraobserver and interobserver variabilities.

Rationale and Objectives To determine the intraobserver and interobserver variabilities of thymic measurements on computed tomography (CT) in patients with pathologic diagnosis of thymic hyperplasia or normal thymus. Materials and Methods Thirty-three patients with pathologic diagnosis of thymic hyperplasia ( n = 25) or normal thymus ( n = 8) who had identifiable thymus gland on CT were retrospectively studied. Two radiologists independently measured thymic size and CT attenuation. Concordance correlation coefficients (CCCs) and Bland–Altman plots were used to assess intraobserver and interobserver agreements. Results The intraobserver and interobserver agreements of thymic diameters and the lobe length were moderate, with CCCs ranging from 0.73 to 0.89 and from 0.72 to 0.81, respectively. Higher agreement was noted among patients whose measurements were performed on the same CT image in two independent measurements, with intraobserver CCC ≥ 0.95 for diameters and length. After providing readers with an instruction for consistent selection of CT image for measurements, the intraobserver and interobserver agreements improved, resulting in CCCs ranging from 0.81 to 0.92 and from 0.77 to 0.85 for diameters and length, respectively. Thymic lobe thickness had the least agreement. CT attenuation measurements were highly reproducible, with CCCs ranging from 0.88 to 0.97. In patients with thymic CT attenuation >30 HU (Hounsfield unit), the attenuation measurements were more reproducible with narrower 95% limits of agreement. Conclusions Thymic size measurements had moderate-to-high intraobserver and interobserver agreements, when the instruction for consistent selection of images was provided to the readers. CT attenuation was highly reproducible, with higher reproducibility for thymic glands with >30 HU. Awareness of thymic measurement variability is necessary when interpreting measured values of normal thymus and thymic pathology on CT.
Mixed Halide Phases in the Chloride-Iodide Systems of Lanthanum and Gadolinium

Numerous PbFCl-type mixed halogen halide phases, most of which contain the fluoride ion, have been reported for divalent lanthanides (1), and the existence of trivalent mixed-halogen halide phases has been postulated. An AlBrCl2 phase, and poorly characterized mixed halogen halide phases of U(III) and U(IV), thought to be solid solutions, are also known (2,3). We present herein the first report of trivalent lanthanide mixed halogen halide phases.
Lymphatic absorption during peritoneal dialysis.

In recent years, our group has published several reviews of the literature on peritoneal lymphatics1–2 and studies of peritoneal lymphatics during peritoneal dialysis in rats3–5 and in humans. 6–7 Herein I will summarize some of the major points in those publications.
Anti-biofouling implantable catheter using thin-film magnetic microactuators.

Abstract Here we report on the development of polyimide-based flexible magnetic actuators for actively combating biofouling that occurs in many chronically implanted devices. The thin-film flexible devices are microfabricated and integrated into a single-pore silicone catheter to demonstrate a proof-of-concept for a self-clearing smart catheter. The static and dynamic mechanical responses of the thin-film magnetic microdevices were quantitatively measured and compared to theoretical values. The mechanical fatigue properties of these polyimide-based microdevices were also characterized up to 300 million cycles. Finally, the biofouling removal capabilities of magnetically powered microdevices were demonstrated using bovine serum albumin and bioconjugated microbeads. Our results indicate that these thin-film microdevices are capable of significantly reducing the amount of biofouling. At the same time, we demonstrated that these microdevices are mechanically robust enough to withstand a large number of actuation cycles during its chronic implantation.
Reassessing the Essential Role of Public Courts: Learning from the American Experience

Over the years, the United States has introduced different alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, thus ‘outsourcing’ some of the court’s tasks. The ADR movement was a reaction to costly and lengthy proceedings the United States was coping with. It is doubtful whether such ‘outsourcing’ indeed routinely saves time and money and contributes to the public goals of civil justice. This contribution describes the evolution of American civil procedure, thereby explaining the issues that the American civil justice system has faced over the years and mechanisms which have been identified and chosen to fight those challenges. This experience is a lesson to other countries trying to reach the same goals.
Defined by the Flood: Alarmism and the Legal Thresholds of US Political Asylum

ABSTRACTAlarmism has enabled the extension and reconfiguration of sovereign power at thresholds of human mobility in ways that exemplify the shifting and polymorphic nature of borders. Extending critical geopolitical scholarship on alarmism and the geographies of bordering, this paper examines how alarmism is used to exert control over legal-discursive thresholds that people must cross to gain political asylum in the US. By analysing the most ambiguous area of asylum protection: proving that persecution is motivated by one’s “membership in a particular social group”, I demonstrate how refugee definitions are often contested and changed in response to “floodgate fears”, a type of alarmist legal argumentation. Rather than addressing the merits of an individual asylum case, the floodgate argument invites speculation about the effects a particular juridical decision will have on future cases, and therein translates wider racist, nationalist fears of being overwhelmed by alien “others” into otherwise banal leg...
The Son of God and Trinitarian Identity Statements

Classical Trinitarians claim that Jesus—the Son of God—is truly God and that there is only one God and the Father is God, the Spirit is God, and the Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct. However, if the identity statement that ‘the Son is God’ is understood in the sense of numerical identity, logical incoherence seems immanent. Yet, if the identity statement is understood according to an ‘is’ of predication then it lacks accuracy and permits polytheism. Therefore, we argue that there is another sense of ‘is’ needed in trinitarian discourse that will allow the Christian to avoid logical incoherence while still fully affirming all that is meant to be affirmed in the confession ‘Jesus is God.’ We suggest a sense of ‘is’ that meets this need.
Gerechter Frieden als menschliche Sicherheit

Die Bedeutung von Sicherheit fur das friedliche Zusammenleben ist den biblischen Traditionen nicht unbekannt. Den durch die Wuste ziehenden Israeliten wird verheisen, dass sie im gelobten Land „sicher wohnen“ werden (vgl. z. B. Lev 26,5; Dtn 12,10). Und im babylonischen Exil gehort zu der eschatologisch aufgeladenen Vision der Ruckkehr der Deportierten regelmasig die Perspektive einer gesicherten Existenz (vgl. z. B. Jer 23,6; 32,37). In der besonders aussagekraftigen Passage Ez 34,25-31 wird im Rahmen des „Bundes des Friedens“, den Gott fur die Ruckkehr verspricht, die Sicherheit sogar im Zusammenspiel vielfaltiger Faktoren entfaltet: nach ausen als Befreiung aus und Bewahrung vor Fremdbestimmung durch andere Volker, nach innen als Schutz vor Gefahrdungen (z. B. „bose Tiere“ oder Durre) und als Sicherung der Lebensgrundlagen (Fruchtbarkeit des Landes, kein Hunger).
Effects of phosphorus addition on selectivity and stability of Pd model catalysts during cyclohexene dehydrogenation

Transition metal phosphides are more selective for hydrocarbon dehydrogenation than the corresponding unmodified transition metals, however there are few detailed experiments probing thermodynamics and kinetics of adsorption and reactions of hydrocarbons on these surfaces. Here, we use a combination of temperature programmed reaction (TPR) and reactive molecular beam scattering (RMBS) of cyclohexene (C6H10) and benzene (C6H6) and temperature programmed desorption of CO and H2 to examine how the addition of P-atoms alters the catalytic properties of Pd(111) for non-oxidative dehydrogenation of C6H10 to C6H6. Quantitative analyses of TPR results demonstrate that a phosphorus modified Pd(111) surface (P0.34–Pd) dehydrogenates C6H10 to C6H6 with a selectivity approaching 100%, which is ∼3-fold greater than that of the unmodified Pd(111) surface (∼30%). These differences in selectivity correlate with a significantly reduced desorption energy for small molecules (e.g., CO, C6H6, C6H10, H2) on P0.34–Pd in comparison to Pd(111). Together these comparisons suggest that adsorbates exchange less charge with P0.34–Pd than with Pd(111), which agrees with prior computational predictions. Diminished electron exchange between Pd atoms and bound reactive intermediates leads also to greater near steady-state selectivities for dehydrogenation of C6H10 to C6H6, decreased rates of C–C bond rupture, and increased catalyst stability. Apparent activation energies for dehydrogenation of C6H10 are lower for Pd (−13 kJ mol−1) than P0.34–Pd (−7 kJ mol−1), while those for C6H6 decomposition seem to differ more significantly (∼90 kJ mol−1 on Pd; immeasurable rates and barrier for P0.34–Pd) as shown by the RMBS of C6H10 and C6H6 respectively. As a consequence, P also increases apparent barriers for catalyst deactivation observed during RMBS of C6H10 (1 kJ mol−1 on Pd to 38 kJ mol−1 on P0.25–Pd) due to the decreased tendency to decompose C6H6 to more hydrogen-deficient forms of carbon. These results demonstrate that the presence of P-atoms on and within the near surface region of Pd significantly impacts the energetics of C–H and C–C bond rupture pathways in ways that lead to greater selectivities and stabilities for hydrocarbon dehydrogenation reactions.