cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interactions of White Pine Blister Rust and Mountain Pine Beetle in Whitebark Pine Ecosystems in the Southern Greater Yellowstone Area

ABSTRACT: Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) is a fundamental component of alpine and subalpine habitats in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The magnitude of current white pine blister rust (WPBR) infection caused by the pathogen Cronartium ribicola and mountain pine beetle (MPB; Dendroctonus ponderosae) impacts, combined with the effect of climate change on beetle population dynamics, are placing this foundation species in a precarious state. We collected stand- and tree-level data in three whitebark pine systems in the southern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to evaluate current conditions and to determine how characteristics of individual whitebark pine trees, including the presence and severity of white pine blister rust, influence host selection by the MPB. Data revealed that 45% of all whitebark pine trees sampled were dead. In addition, 67% of all trees sampled were attacked by MPB, 83% were infected with WPBR, and 62% were affected by both. Whitebark pine trees that were selected as hosts by MPB ex...
Family Resemblance for Normal Pulmonary-Function

SummaryFamily resemblance for normal pulmonary function as measured by forced vital capacity and one second forced expiration volume is assessed using a path analysis model which incorporates sex differences in transmissibility of the phenotype from parents to offspring as well as in the effect of a correlated shared-sibling environment. Application of this model, called XTAU, to familial correlations indicates that transmissible factors, which may be genetic or cultural, accounts for 20–30% of the variation in these measures. Further, a pronounced same-sex-specific effect of the sibling environment is indicated which enhanced the observed correlation between same-sex siblings and diminished the observed correlation between opposite-sex siblings. These results are consistent with findings of twin studies of pulmonary function indicating high heritability for both FVC and FEV1·0. In addition, the complex multifactorial model of family resemblance for normal pulmonary function is shown to have implications ...
In vitro cell cycle arrest induced by using artificial DNA templates

Abstract In cell extracts of Xenopus eggs which oscillate between S and M phases of the cell cycle, the onset of mitosis is blocked by the presence of incompletely replicated DNA. In this report, we show that several artificial DNA templates (M13 single-stranded DNA and double-stranded plasmid DNA) can trigger this feedback pathway, which inhibits mitosis. Single-stranded M13 DNA is much more effective than double-stranded plasmid DNA at inhibiting the onset of mitosis. Furthermore, we have shown that low levels of M13 single-stranded DNA and high levels of double-stranded plasmid DNA can elevate the tyrosine kinase activity responsible for phosphorylating p34cdc2, thereby inactivating maturation-promoting factor and inhibiting entry into mitosis. This constitutes a simplified system with which to study the signal transduction pathway from the DNA template to the tyrosine kinase responsible for inhibiting p34cdc2 activity.
Improving metadata management for small files in HDFS

Scientific applications are adapting HDFS/MapReduce to perform large scale data analytics. One of the major challenges is that an overabundance of small files is common in these applications, and HDFS manages all its files through a single server, the Namenode. It is anticipated that small files can significantly impact the performance of Namenode. In this work we propose a mechanism to store small files in HDFS efficiently and improve the space utilization for metadata. Our scheme is based on the assumption that each client is assigned a quota in the file system, for both the space and number of files. In our approach, we utilize the compression method ‘harballing', provided by Hadoop, to better utilize the HDFS. We provide for new job functionality to allow for in-job archival of directories and files so that running MapReduce programs may complete without being killed by the JobTracker due to quota policies. This approach leads to better functionality of metadata operations and more efficient usage of the HDFS. Our analysis results show that we can reduce the metadata footprint in main memory by a factor of 42.
The hope for an HIV vaccine based on induction of CD8+ T lymphocytes: a review

The only long-term and cost-effective solution to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in the developing world is a vaccine that prevents individuals from becoming infected or, once infected, from passing the virus on to others. There is currently little hope for an AIDS vaccine. Conventional attempts to induce protective antibody and CD8+ lymphocyte responses against HIV and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) have failed. The enormous diversity of the virus has only recently been appreciated by vaccinologists, and our assays to determine CD8+ lymphocyte antiviral efficacy are inadequate. The central hypothesis of a CTL-based vaccine is that particularly effective CD8+ lymphocytes directed against at least five epitopes that are derived from regions under functional and structural constraints will control replication of pathogenic SIV. This would be somewhat analogous to control of virus replication by triple drug therapy or neutralizing antibodies.
Insect sting allergy with negative venom skin test responses

Abstract Background: In our 1976 controlled venom immuno rapy trial, 33% of 182 patients with a history of systemic reactions to insect stings were excluded because of negative venom skin test responses. There have been reports of patients with negative skin test responses who have had severe reactions to subsequent stings. Objective: Our aim is to increase awareness about the patient with a negative skin test response and insect sting allergy and to determine the frequency and significance of negative skin test responses in patients with a history of systemic reactions to insect stings. Methods: We prospectively examined the prevalence of negative venom skin test responses in patients with a history of systemic reactions to stings. In patients who gave informed consent, we analyzed the outcome of retesting and sting challenge. Results: Of 307 patients with positive histories screened for our sting challenge study, 208 (68%) had positive venom skin test responses (up to 1 μg/mL concentration), and 99 (32%) had negative venom skin test responses. In 36 (36%) of the 99 patients with negative skin test responses, the venom RAST result was a low positive (1-3 ng/mL), or repeat venom skin test responses were positive; another 7 (7%) patients had high venom-specific IgE antibody levels (4-243 ng/mL). Notably, 56 (57%) of 99 patients with positive histories and negative skin test responses had negative RAST results. In patients with positive skin test responses, sting challenges were performed in 141 of 196 patients, with 30 systemic reactions. Sting challenges were performed on 37 of 43 patients with negative skin test responses and positive venom-specific IgE and in 14 of 56 patients with negative skin test responses and negative RAST results. There were 11 patients with negative skin test responses who had systemic reactions to the challenge sting: 2 had negative RAST results, and 9 had positive RAST results at 1 ng/mL. The frequency of systemic reaction was 21% in patients with positive skin test responses and 22% in patients with negative skin test responses (24% in those with positive RAST results and 14% in those with negative RAST results). Conclusions: Venom skin test responses can be negative in patients who will subsequently experience another systemic sting reaction. Venom skin test responses are negative in many patients with a history of systemic allergic reactions to insect stings and may be associated with positive serologic test responses for venom-specific IgE antibodies (sometimes strongly positive results). Venom skin test responses should be repeated when negative, along with a serologic IgE antivenom test. Better diagnostic skin test reagents are urgently needed. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2001;107:897-901.)
Papillomaviruses in non-melanoma skin cancer: epidemiological aspects.

Worldwide, non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs), which include squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC), are the most commonly diagnosed cancers among Caucasians. It is well established that ultraviolet radiation (UVR) plays a central role in the development of these cancers, and more recently, a role for specific genetic mutations in the pathogenesis of BCC has been identified. The possibility that certain types of HPV, either alone or in conjunction with UVR, may play a role in the pathogenesis of these cancers is suggested by several lines of evidence reviewed below.*9 @2depidemiology / non-melanoma skin cancer / papillomavirus
Time-to-delivery queuing: a multi-purpose resource allocation and congestion control technique

Time-to-delivery (TTD) queuing is presented as a technique that can be used to provide multiple resource allocation and congestion control functions in high-speed communication networks (frame relay networks are used for illustration). TTD queuing associates a TTD value with each data unit, and shared network queues serve data units in TTD order (smallest TTDs first). With the proper initial TTD assignments and updates, TTD queuing can (1) provide delay differentiation between connections with different negotiated average rates, (2) reduce the dependence of delay on number of hops in a connection, (3) allow for data units to "make up time" following a bottleneck node, and (4) provide delay and loss penalties for connections exceeding negotiated rates (access rate policing). Details of the TTD assignments and updates are provided along with performance comparisons (via simulation) with other queuing and policing mechanisms. >
Confidence bounds for Pr(X>Y) in 1-way ANOVA random model

Approximate confidence bounds for reliability, R=Pr(X>Y mod X,Y), are obtained, where X and Y are independent normal (Gaussian) random variables, and X and Y are vectors of measurements for X and Y, respectively. Balanced 1-way ANOVA (analysis of variants) random effect models are assumed for the populations of X and Y. Confidence bounds are derived for R under three cases for standard deviations, sigma /sub x/ and sigma /sub y/. An example shows how the results are used. >
The Entner-Doudoroff pathway: history, physiology and molecular biology

The Entner-Doudoroff pathway is now known to be very widely distributed in nature. Biochemical and physiological studies show that the Entner-Doudoroff pathway can operate in a linear and catabolic mode, in a ‘cyclic’ mode, in a modified mode involving non-phosphorylated intermediates, or in alternative modes involving C1 metabolism and anabolism. Molecular and genetic analyses of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway in Zymomonas mobilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have led to an improved understanding of some fundamental aspects of metabolic controls. It can be argued that the Entner-Doudoroff pathway is more primitive than Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas glycolysis.
Use of a decision-analytic model in a health technology assessment: beyond measuring value for money

The well-designed, model-based cost-utility analysis by Ginsberg and colleagues provides useful information on the value for money of universal GBS screening in Israel. An extended application of the model-based approach used in the study could provide policymakers additional practical information on the budget impact of a potential universal GBS screening program. Such an approach could also be used to guide future research priorities in the prevention of GBS in Israel, by measuring the value of seeking further information to reduce the uncertainty in the cost-effectiveness of universal GBS screening. This is a commentary on http://www.ijhpr.org/content/2/1/6 .
Improved MDS-based localization

It is often useful to know the geographic positions of nodes in a communications network, but adding GPS receivers or other sophisticated sensors to every node can be expensive. MDS-MAP is a recent localization method based on multidimensional scaling (MDS). It uses connectivity information - who is within communications range of whom - to derive the locations of the nodes in the network, and can take advantage of additional data, such as estimated distances between neighbors or known positions for certain anchor nodes, if they are available. However, MDS-MAP is an inherently centralized algorithm and is therefore of limited utility in many applications. In this paper, we present a new variant of the MDS-MAP method, which we call MDS-MAP(P) standing for MDS-MAP using patches of relative maps, that can be executed in a distributed fashion. Using extensive simulations, we show that the new algorithm not only preserves the good performance of the original method on relatively uniform layouts, but also performs much better than the original on irregularly-shaped networks. The main idea is to build a local map at each node of the immediate vicinity and then merge these maps together to form a global map. This approach works much better for topologies in which the shortest path distance between two nodes does not correspond well to their Euclidean distance. We also discuss an optional refinement step that improves solution quality even further at the expense of additional computation.
A mortality and associated tissue reactions of chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum), caused by the microsporidan Loma sp.

. A systemic infection by the microsporidan Loma sp. became epizootic and resulted in 10% mortality of the population of 337 869 juvenile chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum), from Crooked Creek, Alaska, at Fort Richardson Hatchery, Anchorage, Alaska in the spring of 1980. The microsporidan, forming xenoparasitic cysts (xenomas) of the cell-hypertrophy tumour type, was found in the gills, arteries, bulbus arteriosus, pseudobranch, choroid gland and kidney. Individual spores were found in cartilage, musculature, liver, arteries, kidney, choroid gland, bulbus arteriosus, ventricle and atrium. Tissue alterations included inflammation, necrosis, and occlusion of arteries; degeneration and necrosis of cartilage and musculature of the tail and head; pericarditis of the bulbus arteriosus; and hyperplasia of heart tissues. Severe infections could impair swimming efficiency, reduce growth rate, and increase mortality after release due to starvation and predation. This represents the first report of microsporidiosis in hatchery-reared chinook salmon caused by Loma sp.
Genetic architecture of a feeding adaptation: garter snake (Thamnophis) resistance to tetrodotoxin bearing prey

Detailing the genetic basis of adaptive variation in natural populations is a first step towards understanding the process of adaptive evolution, yet few ecologically relevant traits have been characterized at the genetic level in wild populations. Traits that mediate coevolutionary interactions between species are ideal for studying adaptation because of the intensity of selection and the well-characterized ecological context. We have previously described the ecological context, evolutionary history and partial genetic basis of tetrodotoxin (TTX) resistance in garter snakes (Thamnophis). Derived mutations in a voltage-gated sodium channel gene (Nav1.4) in three garter snake species are associated with resistance to TTX, the lethal neurotoxin found in their newt prey (Taricha). Here we evaluate the contribution of Nav1.4 alleles to TTX resistance in two of those species from central coastal California. We measured the phenotypes (TTX resistance) and genotypes (Nav1.4 and microsatellites) in a local sample of Thamnophis atratus and Thamnophis sirtalis. Allelic variation in Nav1.4 explains 23 per cent of the variation in TTX resistance in T. atratus while variation in a haphazard sample of the genome (neutral microsatellite markers) shows no association with the phenotype. Similarly, allelic variation in Nav1.4 correlates almost perfectly with TTX resistance in T. sirtalis, but neutral variation does not. These strong correlations suggest that Nav1.4 is a major effect locus. The simple genetic architecture of TTX resistance in garter snakes may significantly impact the dynamics of phenotypic coevolution. Fixation of a few alleles of major effect in some garter snake populations may have led to the evolution of extreme phenotypes and an ‘escape’ from the arms race with newts.
Seasonal changes in one seed juniper intake by sheep and goats in relation to dietary protein and plant secondary metabolites

Plant secondary metabolites (PSM) and nutrients can influence patterns of feed intake of small ruminants. Their effects depend on the type and amounts of PSM and nutrients fed. We hypothesized that one-seed juniper intake of goats and sheep would change in response to seasonal variations of PSM concentrations and type and amount of CP fed. To test this hypothesis, we fed 12 does (46.7 ± 1.25 kg) and 12 ewes (74.9 ± 1.23 kg) freshly harvested one-seed juniper branches in summer, fall, winter, and spring. Animals also received isoenergetic diets (1.6% BW) with either addition of a high rumen degradable (RDP, 12.5% CP) or undegradable (RUP, 12.5% CP) protein source or with no addition of supplemental protein (Control, 5% CP). Juniper branches were offered in unrestricted amounts for 30 min prior to feeding treatment diets and short-term intake was determined for 10 d per season. Oneseed juniper leaves contained a diverse mix of terpenes, phenolics, and condensed tannins which were positively correlated to each other (P < 0.05) and varied seasonally in concentration and composition (P < 0.05). Juniper intake was greater for goats than sheep (P < 0.05), and twice as high for animals fed high CP diets vs. control animals (P < 0.05). Juniper intake in the fall, when levels of plant secondary metabolites were highest, was 41, 58, and 52% less (P < 0.05) than in summer, winter, and spring, respectively. Addition of high RDP and RUP sources into diets induced different patterns of juniper intake across seasons, herbivores, and individual animals. In each diet treatment, a distinct subset of a few PSM explained 30–78% of overall variation in juniper intake of goats and sheep. This study suggests that increases in dietary protein levels can increase voluntary intake of one-seed juniper of small ruminants during seasons when PSM levels are low. Diets with protein sources of different degradability can potentially influence juniper intake of small ruminants differently, probably due to different nutrient–PSM associations that may result in different detoxification capabilities and post-ingestive experiences that influence individual juniper preference. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The Structure of the yFACT Pob3-M Domain, Its Interaction with the DNA Replication Factor RPA, and a Potential Role in Nucleosome Deposition

We report the crystal structure of the middle domain of the Pob3 subunit (Pob3-M) of S. cerevisiae FACT (yFACT, facilitates chromatin transcription), which unexpectedly adopts an unusual double pleckstrin homology (PH) architecture. A mutation within a conserved surface cluster in this domain causes a defect in DNA replication that is suppressed by mutation of replication protein A (RPA). The nucleosome reorganizer yFACT therefore interacts in a physiologically important way with the central single-strand DNA (ssDNA) binding factor RPA to promote a step in DNA replication. Purified yFACT and RPA display a weak direct physical interaction, although the genetic suppression is not explained by simple changes in affinity between the purified proteins. Further genetic analysis suggests that coordinated function by yFACT and RPA is important during nucleosome deposition. These results support the model that the FACT family has an essential role in constructing nucleosomes during DNA replication, and suggest that RPA contributes to this process.
Three-dimensional mechanical environment of orthodontic tooth movement and root resorption.

Introduction: The tension-compression theory of bone mechanotransduction is ubiquitous in orthodontics. However, partly due to deficiencies in the characterization of the mechanical environment, there is no consensus on the mechanisms that link stimuli to root resorption and bone response. In this study, we analyzed the predominant directions of tension and compression in the alveolar structures. Methods: An idealized tooth model was constructed with computer-aided design for finite element stress analysis. The principal stress magnitudes and directions were calculated in tipping and translation. Results: The highest principal stress magnitudes in the root, periodontal ligament (PDL), and alveolar surface occurred predominantly in the longitudinal, radial, and hoop directions, respectively. On the compression side, the only structure consistently in compression in all directions was the PDL; however, magnitudes were different in different directions. Conclusions: In the same region of root, PDL, and bone, there can be compression in 1 structure and tension in another. At a given point in a structure, compression and tension can coexist in different directions. Magnitudes of compression and tension are typically different in different directions. Because of direction swaps between principal stresses, previously published data of only stress magnitude plots can be confusing and perhaps impossible to understand or correlate with biological responses. To prevent ambiguities, a reference to a principal stress should include not only the structure, but also its predominant direction. Combined stress magnitude and direction results suggest that the PDL is the initiator of mechanotransduction.
Transmission of transient plane waves through perfect electrically conducting plates perforated by periodic arrays of subwavelength holes

Phenomena associated with the transmission of transient plane waves through plates perforated by subwavelength holes are studied. Specifically, the time domain transmitted field (TDTF) or transient response of a thin plate (sandwiched in between two dielectric slabs) that is perforated periodically by subwavelength holes and illuminated by a transient plane wave (TPW) is calculated by inverse Fourier transforming the product of the plate's frequency domain transmission coefficient (FDTC) and the TPWs Fourier transform. The incident TPW comprises smoothed and damped exponentials. The FDTC has pole and branch point (BP) singularities associated with resonant and Rayleigh-Wood anomalies. Special choice of branch cuts associated with the BPs allows choosing the poles on a single Riemann sheet. The TDTF is represented in terms of incident TPW and FDTC pole residues, and branch cut (BC) integrals. The latter are evaluated asymptotically for arbitrary small pole-branch point (BP) separations. The obtained expressions are simplified and interpreted for narrow- and wide-band incident fields, and key characteristics of the transient fields scattered from the above structure are identified. For narrowband fields, only the incident TPW pole contributions are significant and the resulting TDTF is an attenuated and delayed replica of the incident TPW. When the field frequency support is near a FDTC pole, significant positive delays are obtained. When the field frequency support is near a BP, small positive and noticeable negative delays are obtained for large and small pole-BP separation, respectively. For wide-band fields all contributions in the TDTF are significant. The incident TPW pole contributions are significant only for early time. The FDTC pole contributions are the counterparts of frequency domain leaky waves and only are significant for much later time. The BC contributions are the counterparts of frequency domain lateral wave and decay slowly, thereby resulting in a very long TDTF temporal tail. Their magnitudes are substantially larger for smaller pole-BP separations than for large ones. The investigated phenomena occur not only on hole-perforated plates but also on other types of periodic gratings. They can find use in constructing novel probes, antennas, and microwave and optical filters
Alcohol and Sedative-Hypnotic Withdrawal Catatonia: Two Case Reports, Systematic Literature Review, and Suggestion of a Potential Relationship With Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium

Background Withdrawal from alcohol and sedative-hypnotics can be complicated by seizures, hallucinations, or delirium. Withdrawal catatonia is another, less commonly discussed complication that clinicians should appreciate. Methods We present a case of alcohol withdrawal catatonia and a case of benzodiazepine withdrawal catatonia and offer a systematic review of previous cases of alcohol or sedative-hypnotic withdrawal catatonia. We outline clinical features that suggest a potential link between withdrawal catatonia and withdrawal delirium. Results We identified 26 cases of withdrawal catatonia in the literature—all principally with catatonic stupor—with an average age of 56 years (range: 27–92) and balanced prevalence between sexes. Withdrawal catatonia tends to occur only after chronic use of alcohol or sedative-hypnotic agents with a typical onset of 3–7 days after discontinuation and duration of 3–10 days. Withdrawal catatonia is responsive to benzodiazepines or electroconvulsive therapy. Features that suggest a parallel between withdrawal catatonia and withdrawal delirium include time course, neurobiologic convergence, efficacy of benzodiazepines and electroconvulsive therapy, typical absence of abnormal electroencephalographic findings, and phenotypic classification suggested by a recent literature in sleep medicine. Conclusion Alcohol and sedative-hypnotic withdrawal may present with catatonia or catatonic features. The clinical and neurobiologic convergence between withdrawal catatonia and withdrawal delirium deserves further attention. In view of these similarities, we propose that withdrawal delirium may represent excited catatonia: these new viewpoints may serve as a substrate for a better understanding of the delirium-catatonia spectrum.
Pathology of a Baculovirus of the Alfalfa Looper, Autographa californica, in the European Corn Borer, Ostrinia nubilalis

The pathogenicity and histopathology of a nuclear polyhedrosis virus isolated from the alfalfa looper, Autographa californica (Speyer), was studied in the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner). Neonate larvae were treated per os with the virus, and up to 84.7% of the insects was killed over a 35-day period. Inclusion bodies were found in the hypodermis, fat body, tracheal matrix, testes, nerve ganglia, muscle, hemocytes, and hindgut by using light microscopy. Under electron microscopy, several types of inclusion bodies were observed, some with singly embedded virions, some void of virions, and some with both singly and multiply embedded virions.
Host Preference Studies on a Mite Infesting the Cockroach Gromphadorhina portentosa

Laboratory colonies of Gromphadorhina are infested with mites found on cockroaches only, where they do no harm and are transmitted by contact. The major much less attractive stimulus of the host for the mite is olfactory, although a slight visual stimulus may be present. The mites, being photonegative, may be attracted also by regions of darkness. Other species of cockroaches are much less than Gromphadorhina, but these other species are quite attractive when there is no alternative.
The Effects of Tai Chi Practice With Asynchronous Music on Compliance and Fall-Related Risk Factors in Middle-Aged and Older Women: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: This study examined whether practicing Tai Chi (TC) along with music can maximize the effects of TC on compliance and fall-related risk factors (Dynamic Gait Index and fear of falling). DESIGN: A convenient sample was recruited in a community senior center. Eighteen women aged 50 to 84 years (9 White, 9 Black) were block randomly assigned to a TC in silence (TC + S; n = 6) or a TC with music (TC + M; n = 12) class. METHOD: Thirteen participants (4 in TC + S group, 9 in TC + M group) with completed pre- and posttests were included in the final analysis. Paired t tests were conducted to examine changes within groups over time and analysis of covariance was used to assess group differences. FINDINGS: After 15 weeks of intervention, balance increased in both groups with significantly higher benefits in the TC + M group (p CONCLUSIONS: Practicing TC + M may help increase adherence in White and Black middle-aged and older women, and maximize the effects of TC on fall-related risk factors. Studies with more rigorous study design, including musical considerations, are warranted.© The Author(s) 2016. Language: en
How should Trackball Directional Movement Intuitively Relate to an End Effector

Three strategies for the trackball control of an end effector on a laparoscopic graspers tool were tested to see which strategy was most intuitive to the user. The three strategies (UURR, UDRL, UDRR) were tested on four different orientations of the hand: horizontal holding the tool as an extension of the arm while rolling the trackball with the thumb, horizontal holding the tool as an extension of the arm and forearm pronated 90 degrees while rolling with the thumb, horizontal with tool 90° to arm using the thumb, and horizontal with tool 90° to arm using the index finger to roll the ball. Twenty-four subjects, each randomly chosen to test one of the three movement strategies, performed two trials sets per hand orientation, the first to test for intuition and the second to test for the effect of training. The outcome of the trials was a number of correct and incorrect movements of the trackball to control the end effector which was simulated on a computer screen. The results were analyzed using a general...
LOCAL PREMIUM OR LOCAL DISCOUNT: THE CASE OF PACKAGED FRESH TOMATOES IN HAWAII

This article utilizes the 2011 Nielsen scanner data for the Honolulu fresh tomato market to explore the existence of price premium for local food. Hedonic analysis is conducted to delineate the price impact of the local attribute. Contrary to the widely perceived local price premium in the consumer preference literature, mixed results of price premiums and discounts are discovered for local tomato products. Additional investigation suggests that the prices of local tomatoes are likely influenced by seasonal output fluctuation. The limited market distribution capacity facing local producers may have contributed further to the retail discounting.
Low-CNR inverse synthetic aperture LADAR imaging demonstration with atmospheric turbulence

An Inverse Synthetic Aperture LADAR (ISAL) system is capable of providing high resolution surface mapping of near Earth objects which is an ability that has gained significant interest for both exploration and hazard assessment. The use of an ISAL system over these long distances often presents the need to operate the optical system in photon-starved conditions. This leads to a necessity to understand the implications of photon and detector noise in the system. Here a Carrier-to-Noise Ratio is derived which is similar to other optical imaging CNR definitions. The CNR value is compared to the quality of experimentally captured images recovered using the Phase Gradient Autofocus technique both with and without the presence of atmospheric turbulence. A minimum return signal CNR for the PGA to work is observed.
Bidirectional quasi-passive reconfigurable (Bi-QPAR) node for flexible access networks

A bidirectional quasi-passive reconfigurable (Bi-QPAR) node is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Results show that the Bi-QPAR is capable of dynamic power and wavelength allocation for both downlink and uplink with <0.7 dB power penalty.
LIS1 Regulates Osteoclastogenesis through Modulation of M-SCF and RANKL Signaling Pathways and CDC42

We have previously reported that depletion of LIS1, a key regulator of microtubules and cytoplasmic dynein motor complex, in osteoclast precursor cells by shRNAs attenuates osteoclastogenesis in vitro. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we show that conditional deletion of LIS1 in osteoclast progenitors in mice led to increased bone mass and decreased osteoclast number on trabecular bone. In vitro mechanistic studies revealed that loss of LIS1 had little effects on cell cycle progression but accelerated apoptosis of osteoclast precursor cells. Furthermore, deletion of LIS1 prevented prolonged activation of ERK by M-CSF and aberrantly enhanced prolonged JNK activation stimulated by RANKL. Finally, lack of LIS1 abrogated M-CSF and RANKL induced CDC42 activation and retroviral transduction of a constitutively active form of CDC42 partially rescued osteoclastogenesis in LIS1-deficient macrophages. Therefore, these data identify a key role of LIS1 in regulation of cell survival of osteoclast progenitors by modulating M-CSF and RANKL induced signaling pathways and CDC42 activation.
The Untouchables : Former Yugoslavia's Clandestine Political Economy

(2004). The Untouchables : Former Yugoslavia's Clandestine Political Economy. Problems of Post-Communism: Vol. 51, No. 3, pp. 61-68.
Whole Blood Viscosity and Ischemic Heart Disease

Until fairly recently viscosity of blood had received little attention. In fact, textbooks and general reviews of blood pressure regulation stated that the viscosity of blood is constant and should be ignored in consideration of blood pressure regulation. This concept had been accepted without question until fairly recently when it was shown that viscosity of blood does vary among people and from time to time in the same person.
Evolution of the Modified Rankin Scale and Its Use in Future Stroke Trials

Who would have guessed that a scale introduced by Dr John Rankin in 1957 would become the primary outcome scale for almost all acute stroke trials?1 The Rankin Scale was modified to its current form by Charles Warlow and others as part of the UK-TIA (United Kingdom Transient Ischaemic Attack) trial in the 1980s,2 and its reproducibility was first examined by van Swieten et al, in 1988 (Table 1).3 View this table: Table 1. The Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) There is no perfect stroke outcome scale. Regardless, the 7-level, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) has several major strengths: it covers the entire range of functional outcomes from no symptoms to death, its categories are intuitive and easily grasped by both clinicians and patients, its concurrent validity is demonstrated by strong correlation with measures of stroke pathology (eg, infarct volumes) and agreement with other stroke scales,4 and its use has demarcated effective and ineffective acute stroke therapies in trials with appropriately powered sample sizes. With a limited number of levels, the mRS may be less responsive to change than some other stroke scales; however, a single-point change on the mRS is clinically relevant.4 A limitation of the mRS has been the subjective determination between categories and the reproducibility of the score by examiners and patients.4 A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies describing interobserver variability of the mRS reports pooled reliability across 10 published studies (n=587 patients) of a κ=0.46 and a weighted κ of 0.90.5 Multimedia training and certification of examiners in the use of the mRS (http://rankinscale.org/), structured interviews and questionnaires,6–10 and centralized review of videotape assessments11 have sought to address these issues, but reproducibility remains a concern. But the challenge for a trialist designing a new acute stroke trial is not whether …
What are you

Lesbian girlfriend. I remember the exact moment I heard those words come out of my boyfriend's mouth, his lips curled into a smile as we drove home from a friend's birthday in San Francisco.“And I ...
Low‐cost agricultural waste accelerates tropical forest regeneration

Lower-cost tropical forest restoration methods, particularly those framed as win–win business-protected area partnerships, could dramatically increase the scale of tropical forest restoration activities, thereby providing a variety of societal and ecosystem benefits, including slowing both global biodiversity loss and climate change. Here we describe the long-term regenerative effects of a direct application of agricultural waste on tropical dry forest. In 1998, as part of an innovative agricultural waste disposal service contract, an estimated 12,000 Mg of processed orange peels and pulp were applied to a 3 ha portion of a former cattle pasture with compacted, rocky, nutrient-poor soils characteristic of prolonged fire-based land management and overgrazing in Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica. After 16 years, the experimental plot showed a threefold increase in woody plant species richness, a tripling of tree species evenness (Shannon Index), and a 176% increase in aboveground woody biomass over an adjacent control plot. Hemispheric photography showed significant increases in canopy closure in the area where orange waste was applied relative to control. Orange waste deposition significantly elevated levels of soil macronutrients and important micronutrients in samples taken 2 and 16 years after initial orange waste application. Our results point to promising opportunities for valuable synergisms between agricultural waste disposal and tropical forest restoration and carbon sequestration.
A Behavior-Based Approach for Malware Detection

Malware is the fastest growing threat to information technology systems. Although a single absolute solution for defeating malware is improbable, a stacked arsenal against malicious software enhances the ability to maintain security and privacy. This research attempts to reinforce the anti-malware arsenal by studying a behavioral activity common to software – the use of handles. The characteristics of handle usage by benign and malicious software are extracted and exploited in an effort to distinguish between the two classes. An automated malware detection mechanism is presented that utilizes memory forensics, information retrieval and machine learning techniques. Experimentation with a malware dataset yields a malware detection rate of 91.4% with precision and recall of 89.8% and 91.1%, respectively.
Electron-Poor Polar Intermetallics: Complex Structures, Novel Clusters, and Intriguing Bonding with Pronounced Electron Delocalization.

ConspectusIntermetallic compounds represent an extensive pool of candidates for energy related applications stemming from magnetic, electric, optic, caloric, and catalytic properties. The discovery of novel intermetallic compounds can enhance understanding of the chemical principles that govern structural stability and chemical bonding as well as finding new applications. Valence electron-poor polar intermetallics with valence electron concentrations (VECs) between 2.0 and 3.0 e–/atom show a plethora of unprecedented and fascinating structural motifs and bonding features. Therefore, establishing simple structure-bonding-property relationships is especially challenging for this compound class because commonly accepted valence electron counting rules are inappropriate.During our efforts to find quasicrystals and crystalline approximants by valence electron tuning near 2.0 e–/atom, we observed that compositions close to those of quasicrystals are exceptional sources for unprecedented valence electron-poor po...
Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement without Giving in

(2002). Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement without Giving in. Quality Management Journal: Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 73-74.
Academic Probation, Time Management, and Time Use in a College Success Course

Effective time management often undergirds students’ success in college, and many postsecondary learning centers offer services to help students assess and improve this aspect of their learning ski...
Psychoplastogens: A Promising Class of Plasticity-Promoting Neurotherapeutics:

Neural plasticity-the ability to change and adapt in response to stimuli-is an essential aspect of healthy brain function and, in principle, can be harnessed to promote recovery from a wide variety of brain disorders. Many neuropsychiatric diseases including mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders arise from an inability to weaken and/or strengthen pathologic and beneficial circuits, respectively, ultimately leading to maladaptive behavioral responses. Thus, compounds capable of facilitating the structural and functional reorganization of neural circuits to produce positive behavioral effects have broad therapeutic potential. Several known drugs and experimental therapeutics have been shown to promote plasticity, but most rely on indirect mechanisms and are slow-acting. Here, I describe psychoplastogens-a relatively new class of fast-acting therapeutics, capable of rapidly promoting structural and functional neural plasticity. Psychoplastogenic compounds include psychedelics, ketamine, and several other recently discovered fast-acting antidepressants. Their use in psychiatry represents a paradigm shift in our approach to treating brain disorders as we focus less on rectifying "chemical imbalances" and place more emphasis on achieving selective modulation of neural circuits.
The Normative Nature of Depression Among Impoverished Mothers of Color: “. . .going around this big old circle . . . it always remain the same”:

Perinatal depression among impoverished mothers adds an enormous burden to their family responsibilities, which are often further stressed by living in high-crime communities. Thirty impoverished m...
A Climatological Analysis of Tropical Cyclone Rapid Intensification in Environments of Upper-Tropospheric Troughs

AbstractTropical cyclone (TC)–trough interactions are a common occurrence in the North Atlantic basin and lead to a variety of TC intensity changes, from rapid intensification (RI) to rapid weakeni...
Transgender Competent Provider: Identifying Transgender Health Needs, Health Disparities, and Health Coverage.

Transgender individuals have gender identity, gender expression, or behavior that differs from their biological sex assigned at birth.1 It is estimated that 0.3% of US adults identify as transgender, which is nearly 1 million people.2 While much is unknown in the field of gender incongruence, “a growing and persuasive body of evidence suggests that biological factors have a substantial role in predisposing some people towards gender incongruence”.2 The earliest recognition of gender nonconformity in Western medicine was in the 1920s and was labeled as a mental pathology.3 Gender Identity Disorder (GID) became a diagnosis in the American Psychiatric Association’s third edition of the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in the 1980s. GID was a mental pathology until the DSM-54 was released in 2012, when GID was dropped as a diagnostic condition. Now, the DSM-5 has only an overarching diagnosis of gender dysphoria. This newly defined diagnosis does not pathologize being transgender, instead it can occur when an individual who is transgender has distress related to the incongruence between his/her experienced and expressed gender. Psychological treatment targets coexisting emotional and mental morbidities. Thus, the trend has shifted from attempting to treat gender nonconforming individuals to being more accepting of them.2 To that end, this overview addresses what it takes to be a competent transgender provider, including knowing health needs, health disparities, and health coverage. Next, medical biases toward transgender patients are examined and current hormone treatment guidelines are outlined for both transgender men and women. Also, treatment options for transgender children and adolescents, along with aging patients, are discussed. The discussion concludes with trends, movements, and expectations for medical curricula.
Pointing: The Royal Road to Language?

Before you begin reading this chapter, try this: point at something, say the chapter title just above. Now, while maintaining the point, look carefully at the shape of your hand.
Intracellular calcium homeostasis with extrapolations to cardiac ischemia.

The processes involved in the maintenance of intracellular calcium homeostasis are complex and still poorly understood. Most cells contain between 3 and 6 umol total calcium per g dry wt, are exposed to medium containing 1.25 mM free Ca2+ and yet maintain an intracellular free Ca2+ concentration of 50 to 200 nM in the resting stated1–7. Apart from calcium bound to the glycocalyx and head groups of externally facing phospholipids of the plasma membrane, which rapidly exchanges with the extracellular Ca2+8, most of the intracellular calcium is present in bound form in mitochondria and sarcoplasmic reticulum. 45Ca2+ flux studies have shown that there is a dynamic equilibrium between extracellular and intracellular Ca2+ and between the different intracellular calcium pools8, 9.
CT-guided cryoablation of mediastinal parathyroid adenoma: an alternative to surgery.

Abstract Primary hyperparathyroidism is most commonly caused by adenoma formation in one of the 4 parathyroid glands. The presence of ectopic parathyroid tissue is relatively common and can lead to difficulties in identification and treatment if affected by adenoma. This report describes the case of a 45-year-old female who presented 10 years status post thyroidectomy with symptomatic hyperparathyroidism and found to have ectopic parathyroid adenoma in the anterior mediastinum. Parathyroid scintigraphy with 99m-Technetium sestamibi and computed tomography were used for localization of the adenoma to a 1.9-centimeter para-aortic nodule. Computed tomography-guided transsternal cryoablation was subsequently performed for treatment, with intraoperative evaluation of serum parathyroid and calcium levels for confirmation. This case highlights that a sharp increase in parathyroid hormone immediately after cryoablation is not necessary for successful confirmation of the procedure. It additionally contributes to the growing literature on computed tomography-guided cryoablation as a legitimate alternative to surgery for treatment of ectopic parathyroid adenoma.
Identifying supportive student factors for mindset interventions: A two-model machine learning approach

Abstract Growth mindset interventions foster students’ beliefs that their abilities can grow through effort and appropriate strategies. However, not every student benefits from such interventions – yet research identifying which student factors support growth mindset interventions is sparse. In this study, we utilized machine learning methods to predict growth mindset effectiveness in a nationwide experiment in the U.S. with over 10,000 students. These methods enable analysis of arbitrarily-complex interactions between combinations of student-level predictor variables and intervention outcome, defined as the improvement in grade point average (GPA) during the transition to high school. We utilized two separate machine learning models: one to control for complex relationships between 51 student-level predictors and GPA, and one to predict the change in GPA due to the intervention. We analyzed the trained models to discover which features influenced model predictions most, finding that prior academic achievement, blocked navigations (attempting to navigate through the intervention software too quickly), self-reported reasons for learning, and race/ethnicity were the most important predictors in the model for predicting intervention effectiveness. As in previous research, we found that the intervention was most effective for students with prior low academic achievement. Unique to this study, we found that blocked navigations predicted an intervention effect as low as 0.185 GPA points (on a 0–4 scale) less than the mean. This was a notable negative prediction given that the mean intervention effect in our sample was just 0.026 GPA points, though few students (4.4%) experienced a substantial number of blocked navigation events. We also found that some minoritized students were predicted to benefit less (or even not at all) from the intervention. Our findings have implications for the design of computer-administered growth mindset interventions, especially in relation to students who experience procedural difficulties completing the intervention.