cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flavor Evaluation and Characterization of Yogurt as Affected by Ultra-High Temperature and Vat Processes

Abstract Sensory flavor analysis of yogurt treated by ultra-high temperature and vat process systems revealed no significant difference. Gas chromatographic analysis of flavor isolates in yogurts made by ultra-high temperature and vat systems tended to support observations of organoleptic analysis. Constituents in flavor isolates of diverse yogurts were identified by retention indices. Complete characterization was not attempted because of the complexity of the volatiles and the lack of specificity of the retention indices.
A general method for programming synchronous logic in analog computation

Modern analog computers are complex machines having many subsystems which contribute to their problem solving capability. Some of these subsystems may be peculiar to specialized computing tasks such as interfacing of the analog computer with a digital computer or the automated setup of problem coefficients. Whatever the configuration of the computer system, two subsystems are always included: the analog subsystem, which includes all those computing elements which process analog signals, and the logic subsystem, which includes all those elements which process binary control signals. Typically the analog elements are programmed to solve differential equations and hence provide a simulation of a dynamical system. The logic elements may represent the simulation of control hardware in the dynamical system (e.g., reaction jet control logic) or they may provide flexible general purpose computer control. Examples of this later function include: automated computer scaling, tabulation of statistical data in random process studies, automatic plotting of families of response curves, control of high speed A to D and D to A conversion operations, implementation of parameter optimization algorithms, adjustment of terminal conditions in two point boundary value problems, etc. While systematic procedures for programming the analog subsystem are well known, logic subsystem programming techniques are often intuitive and poorly organized. This is particularly true in the programming of logic elements for general purpose computer control. For those situations where the required control functions can be described by a computational flow diagram this paper offers a straightforward programming technique.
Effects of prolactin on chloride cells in opercular membrane of seawater-adapted tilapia.

Abstract Effects of prolactin on morphology and numbers of chloride cells in the opercular membrane of seawater-adapted tilapia ( Oreochromis mossambicus ) have been examined. Following five daily injections of ovine prolactin at a dose of 10 μg · g body wt −1 , blood samples were taken and opercular membranes were removed and stained with a fluorescent mitochondrial dye (dimethylaminostyrylethylpyridiniumiodine), a fluorescent derivative of ouabain (anthroylouabain), and a histological stain specific for the extensive tubular system of chloride cells (zinc-osmium-iodine). Mean plasma osmolarity and sodium increased 23–24% following prolactin injection. An increase in the relative frequency of chloride cells between 20 and 180 μm 2 in cross-sectional area and a decrease in the relative frequency of chloride cells greater than 180 μm 2 were observed following prolactin injections. Average cell size decreased 46–70% and cell height decreased 26–38% following prolactin injections. There was no significant change in cell density. Anthroylouabain staining was observed in both prolactin- and saline-injected fish, and no significant effect on Na + ,K + -adenosinetri-phosphatase activity was seen in either opercular membrane or gill tissue. The results demonstrate an effect of prolactin on chloride cell size and provide a morphological correlate for decreased secretory activity of chloride cells following prolactin injections.
Neutron source reaction cross sections

Accurate differential cross sections have been measured for the reactions /sup 2/H(d,/sup 3/He) n at 12.305 MeV, for /sup 3/H(p,/sup 3/He) n at 13.600 MeV, and /sup 2/H(t,/sup 4/He) n at 20.000 MeV. The relative error for most of the data is on the order of 1% and the scale error is less than 1%. The data are used to give absolute normalizations to the measured neutron spectra from these reactions and will be useful in the analysis of mass-4 and mass-5 systems.
VENOUS EMBOLI OCCURRING DURING CAESAREAN SECTION : THE EFFECT OF PATIENT POSITION

The effect of position, horizontal versus 5° reverse Trendelenburg’s, on the incidence of venous emboli during Caesarean section was evaluated in 207 patients. Venous emboli were diagnosed using precordial ultrasonic Doppler monitoring. In the horizontal position, 44% (60 of 134) parturients had venous emboli compared with 1%(1 of 73) parturients in the 5° reverse Trendelenburg’s position (P < 0.0001). Epidural anaesthesia was performed in 171 patients, and 36 patients had general anaesthesia. In the epidural group, pulse oximetric luiemoglobin oxygen desaturation and complaints of chest pain and/or dyspnoea were associated with the venous emboli. Venous emboli, probably air, occur frequently during Caesarean section with the patient in the horizontal position. This occurrence was minimized by placing the patient in the 5° reverse Trendelenburg’s position.
Paclitaxel-Induced Apoptosis Is BAK-Dependent, but BAX and BIM-Independent in Breast Tumor

Paclitaxel (Taxol)-induced cell death requires the intrinsic cell death pathway, but the specific participants and the precise mechanisms are poorly understood. Previous studies indicate that a BH3-only protein BIM (BCL-2 Interacting Mediator of cell death) plays a role in paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. We show here that BIM is dispensable in apoptosis with paclitaxel treatment using bim(-/-) MEFs (mouse embryonic fibroblasts), the bim(-/-) mouse breast tumor model, and shRNA-mediated down-regulation of BIM in human breast cancer cells. In contrast, both bak (-/-) MEFs and human breast cancer cells in which BAK was down-regulated by shRNA were more resistant to paclitaxel. However, paclitaxel sensitivity was not affected in bax(-/-) MEFs or in human breast cancer cells in which BAX was down-regulated, suggesting that paclitaxel-induced apoptosis is BAK-dependent, but BAX-independent. In human breast cancer cells, paclitaxel treatment resulted in MCL-1 degradation which was prevented by a proteasome inhibitor, MG132. A Cdk inhibitor, roscovitine, blocked paclitaxel-induced MCL-1 degradation and apoptosis, suggesting that Cdk activation at mitotic arrest could induce subsequent MCL-1 degradation in a proteasome-dependent manner. BAK was associated with MCL-1 in untreated cells and became activated in concert with loss of MCL-1 expression and its release from the complex. Our data suggest that BAK is the mediator of paclitaxel-induced apoptosis and could be an alternative target for overcoming paclitaxel resistance.
Connexin and gap junction degradation.

Abstract Many of the subunit proteins (connexins) that form gap junctions are rather dynamic, with half-lives of only a few hours. Thus, alterations in connexin turnover and degradation may represent significant mechanisms for the regulation of intercellular communication. We describe a pharmacological approach to determining pathways of connexin degradation. Cell cultures are left untreated or treated with inhibitors of lysosomal or proteasomal proteolysis. Changes in connexin levels, localization, or decay curves (derived from pulse–chase experiments) are assessed by immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, and immunoprecipitation, respectively. Such experiments have provided evidence that connexin43 degradation involves both the lysosome and the proteasome.
Activities of enzymes in β-carboxylation reactions and of catalase in cell-free preparations from the symbiotic dinoflagellates Symbiodinium spp. from a coral, a clam, a zoanthid and two sea anemones

Cell-free extracts of cultured and freshly isolated symbiotic dinoflagellates, Symbiodinium spp, isolated from the stony coral Montipora verrucosa , the clam Tridacna maxima , the zoanthid Palythoa sp. and the sea anemone Aiptasia pulchella were assayed for the enzyme systems involved in β-carboxylation and photorespiration. Markedly different levels of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (EC 4 . 1 . 1 .31; PEP-case) activity were demonstrated in extracts from the different algae. The activity of PEP-case in the algae from M. verrucosa was highest, being an order of magnitude higher than PEP-case in algae from Palythoa sp. and up to 25-fold higher than that in algae from A. pulchella and T. maxima . The algae from M. verrucosa also exhibited pyruvate-P i dikinase (EC 2 . 7 .9 .1) activity. When these data are combined with previous demonstrations of the existence of NAD malate dehydrogenase and NADP malate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating; ‘malic enzyme’) in these algae, the indications are that they possess functional β-carboxylation enzyme systems. Past demonstrations of the photoassimilation of 14 CO 2 into glycollate by Symbiodinium spp. indicated photorespiration. The demonstration for the first time of activity of catalase (EC 1 . 11 . 1 . 6) when viewed in light of previous demonstrations of other composite enzymes of the photorespiratory pathway (e.g. phosphoglycollate phosphatase, glycollate dehydrogenase), add further confirmation to the disputed existence of a functional photorespiratory system in these symbiotic dinoflagellates.
Probing the colloidal gold nanoparticle/aqueous interface with second harmonic generation

Abstract The interface of 16 nm colloidal gold nanoparticles with the aqueous solution in which they are suspended is investigated using second harmonic generation. The population of malachite green freely adsorbing to the gold nanoparticle interface as a function of concentration is obtained. The experimental results are in good agreement with the modified Langmuir model, which includes depletion of the adsorbate bulk concentration. The free energy of adsorption is determined to be −15.4 ± 0.4 kcal/mol with 1.13 ± 0.04 × 103 sites per nanoparticle. These results provide the first direct measurement of the isotherm of molecules adsorbing to colloidal metallic nanoparticles.
How old are you now

Summary Cherkas et al. provide a new, biological approach to a classic problem in anthropology – the estimation of age.
Building portfolio seismic loss assessment using the First-Order Reliability Method

Abstract The aggregate loss to a portfolio of buildings given a seismic event is of interest to parties such as insurance companies, developers, political organizations and community planners. Regional level estimations tend to be more complex than site-specific assessments due to the correlation that exists between the performances of spatially distributed buildings within a single hazard. This paper presents a new reliability-based approach to quantify seismic risk for a portfolio of buildings, while incorporating this correlation. The proposed framework uses the First-Order Reliability Method (FORM) to evaluate a probability distribution of loss for a suite of spatially distributed buildings. It is applied to a San Francisco neighborhood building inventory to estimate the distribution of total repair cost given a scenario earthquake and prioritize cost-effective retrofit schemes in terms of reducing portfolio loss. The information provided by using the proposed method is expected to facilitate more efficient risk management and mitigation decision-making.
The use of liquid crystals for surface flow visualization

The use of shear-sensitive liquid crystals has become an established technique for diagnostic flow visualization. This technique has been demonstrated to illustrate laminar boundary-layer transition, laminar bubbles, shocks, and separation in flight and wind-tunnel environments. Typical results demonstrate the range of flow features which can be illustrated and some of the challenges and pitfalls which must be addressed. A few remaining issues are discussed which should be resolved to develop this technique to full maturity.
Effects of a mixture of non-ortho- and mono-ortho-polychlorinated biphenyls on reproduction in Fundulus heteroclitus (Linnaeus)

To assess the effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on reproduction, female Fundulus heteroclitus were exposed to a mixture of non-ortho- and mono-ortho-PCBs, mimicking the mixture found in fish collected from New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts, USA, a PCB-contaminated estuary. Exposure was by intraperitoneal injection of the mixture dissolved in corn oil. Doses of 0.76, 3.8, and 19 {micro}g PCB mixture per gram of wet weight produced liver concentrations of 2.99, 12.2, and 32.8 {micro}g non-ortho- and mono-ortho-PCBs per gram of dry liver, with dioxin toxic equivalency concentrations (TEQs) of 0.0963, 0.409, and 0.720 ng/g, respectively. Female mortality was 58%, and egg production was reduced by 77% at the highest dose, compared to controls. Food consumption declined with increasing PCB concentration, suggesting that PCBs act indirectly to reduce fecundity through an energetic effect. Pituitary gonadotropin content appeared to be suppressed at the highest dose, but the ability of ovarian follicles to produce estradiol and testosterone in vitro was not impaired. Significant residue-effects linkages were found, with TEQ emerging as a potential indicator of adverse effects. Mortality was directly related, and egg production was inversely related to log{sub 10}TEQ. Multiple regression analysis indicated that egg production was directly related to pituitary gonadotropin contentmore » and food consumption.« less
Subpopulations of Francisella tularensis ssp. tularensis and holarctica: identification and associated epidemiology

Tularemia is primarily caused by two subspecies of Francisella tularensis worldwide, ssp. tularensis (type A) and ssp. holarctica (type B), which were originally delineated by phenotypic differences. Application of molecular typing methods to investigate population structure of F. tularensis has confirmed that categorizing the two subspecies via phenotypic characteristics corresponds with genotypic differentiation. In addition, genotyping methods have demonstrated that both subspecies, type A and type B, can be further distinguished into subpopulations and, in some cases, biological relevance has been ascribed to these identified subpopulations. Genetic variation among both type A and type B subpopulations has been shown to correlate with differences in geographic distribution and has also been coupled to distinct ecological niches, animal hosts and replication foci. Among type A subpopulations, strain variation is linked to differing clinical manifestations in humans and virulence in mice. This article will highlight our current understanding of F. tularensis subpopulations, including methods for their detection, their observed epidemiologic differences, implications for public health and basic research programs, as well as future challenges yet to be solved.
Smallpox virus plaque phenotypes: genetic, geographical and case fatality relationships.

Smallpox (infection with Orthopoxvirus variola) remains a feared illness more than 25 years after its eradication. Historically, case-fatality rates (CFRs) varied between outbreaks (<1 to ∼40 %), the reasons for which are incompletely understood. The extracellular enveloped virus (EEV) form of orthopoxvirus progeny is hypothesized to disseminate infection. Investigations with the closely related Orthopoxvirus vaccinia have associated increased comet formation (EEV production) with increased mouse mortality (pathogenicity). Other vaccinia virus genetic manipulations which affect EEV production inconsistently support this association. However, antisera against vaccinia virus envelope protect mice from lethal challenge, further supporting a critical role for EEV in pathogenicity. Here, we show that the increased comet formation phenotypes of a diverse collection of variola viruses associate with strain phylogeny and geographical origin, but not with increased outbreak-related CFRs; within clades, there may be an association of plaque size with CFR. The mechanisms for variola virus pathogenicity probably involves multiple host and pathogen factors.
Oral Health Literacy: A Workshop

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012), one out of 20 middle-aged adults in the United States are missing all their teeth and there are tremendous disparities in oral he...
Dazzled by diesel? The impact on carbon dioxide emissions of the shift to diesels in Europe through 2009

This paper identifies trends in new gasoline and diesel passenger car characteristics in the European Union between 1995 and 2009. By 2009 diesels had captured over 55% of the new vehicle market. While the diesel version of a given car model may have as much as 35% lower fuel use/km and 25% lower CO2 emissions than its gasoline equivalent, diesel buyers have chosen increasingly large and more powerful cars than the gasoline market. As a result, new diesels bought in 2009 had only 2% lower average CO2 emissions than new gasoline cars, a smaller advantage than in 1995. A Laspeyres decomposition investigates which factors were important contributors to the observed emission reductions and which factors offset savings in other areas. More than 95% of the reduction in CO2 emissions per km from new vehicles arose because both diesel and gasoline new vehicle emissions/km fell, and only 5% arose because of the shift from gasoline to diesel technology. Increases in vehicle mass and power for both gasoline and diesel absorbed much of the technological efficiency improvements offered by both technologies. We also observe changes in the gasoline and diesel fleets in eight EU countries and find changes in fuel and emissions intensities consistent with the changes in new vehicles reported. While diesel cars continue to be driven far farther than gasoline cars, we attribute only some of this difference to a “rebound effect”. We conclude that while diesel technology has permitted significant fuel savings, the switch from gasoline to diesel in the new vehicle market contributed little itself to the observed reductions in CO2 emissions from new vehicles.
Role of acetylation on metal induced precipitation of alginates

Acetylation dramatically effects both the solution properties and the metal induced precipitation of alginates. The presence of acetyl groups on both bacterial and seaweed alginate polymers marginally increased the weight average molecular weight (Mw) of each polymer by 7% and 11%, respectively. Acetylated bacterial alginate showed a significant increase in solution viscosity compared to its deacetylated counterpart. However microbial acetylation of seaweed alginate did not change its solution viscosity. Acetylation altered the calcium induced precipitation of both alginates. The presence of acetyl groups decreased the ability of each polymer to bind with calcium but increased their ability to bind with ferric Ion (Fe3+). By controlling the degree of acetylation on the alginate chains, it was possible to modify solution viscosity and cation induced precipitation of these polymers.
Viability effects and not meoitic drive cause dramatic departures from Mendelian inheritance for malic enzyme in hybrids of Tigriopus californicus populations

The genetic basis of post-zygotic reproductive isolation is beginning to be untangled in closely related species, but less is known about the genetics of reproductive isolation between divergent populations. Here, two genes encoding malic enzyme (ME) are isolated from the copepod Tigriopus californicus and their influence upon lowered viability in F2 hybrids of genetically divergent populations is determined. Each ME gene has diverged extensively between T. californicus populations and one gene shows evidence for a recent selective sweep. Segregation patterns of genotypes for both ME genes in adult F2 hybrids reveal dramatic departures from Mendelian inheritance, deviations that are not seen in F2 nauplii implying that selection is acting during development based upon the genotype at these ME genes. These results imply that selection against deleterious gene combinations and not aberrant segregation (i.e. meiotic drive) is likely to lead to dramatic departures from Mendelian inheritance observed in these crosses.
Breast mass as the primary presentation of Wegener’s granulomatosis: a case report

A case report of a 27-year-old African-American female with a history of bilateral breast masses is presented. Primary breast cancer or metastatic disease was the presumed etiology. On work-up, however, fine-needle aspiration biopsy followed by open excisional biopsy revealed the diagnosis of Wegener’s granulomatosis. Initial presentation of this necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis in the breast is exceedingly rare, and this case highlights the importance of maintaining a degree of suspicion for this clinical entity in the evaluation of a breast mass.
Student Teachers’ Reflective Practice on a Tutorial Teaching Approach

The research explored the reflective practice of student teachers on efforts to improve how student teachers learn from their experiences of tutorial teaching in school. Tutoring means teachers working with individual students to support their learning. During this project, eight student teachers tried to help underachieving high school students improve their vocabulary confidence, learning skills and their memorising strategies so that the students could remember more vocabulary and use it more appropriately. Meanwhile, their self-confidence in English language learning could be developed. 16 junior high school students in Grade One were tutored once a week for 30 minutes, more than 10 successive weeks on the use of certain English lexical items. The tutorials took place from March to June in 2010 at a high school in an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) context. Eight student teachers were the tutors providing instruction, practice in pronunciation and vocabulary usage. The students who received the tuition made significant progress in word recognition. The results indeed showed that the young learners had benefitted from the eight student teachers’ teaching methods. This project was intended to help junior high school students learn more vocabulary through the tuition of student teachers. Its success lies also in the fact that the eight student teachers were able to realise their ideas about effective vocabulary teaching and allowed them to appreciate the value of individual tuition.
Prostate-specific antigen, digital rectal examination, and transrectal ultrasound in predicting the probability of cancer.

Over a 4 1/2 year period, 1,940 asymptomatic men were entered in a prostate cancer detection program consisting of digital rectal examination (DRE), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and transrectal prostate ultrasound (TRUS). Four hundred and sixteen biopsies were performed resulting in the diagnosis of 79 cancers; 82% had clinically organ confined tumors. A recommendation for biopsy was made in 260 (62%) based on the TRUS alone, 55 (13%) by DRE alone, 92 (22%) when the DRE and TRUS were both abnormal, and in 9 (2.2%) cases when only PSA levels were elevated. The DRE, PSA, and TRUS were abnormal in 1,261 (65%), 989 (51%), and 1,552 (80%) of the patients with cancer, respectively. Prostate cancer detection increased as the serum PSA level increased above 4 ng/ml. The positive predictive value of both DRE and TRUS were significantly influenced by an elevated PSA, (P = .042 and P less than .00005, respectively). The results of this study support the idea that, although the prostate cancer detection rate is influenced by these three modalities and the detection rate of localized disease can be improved by early detection programs, its effect on mortality rates remains undefined at this time.
The cost of a class of optimal binary trees

Abstract While algorithms exist which produce optimal binary trees, there are no direct formulas for the cost of such trees. In this note, we give a formula for the cost of the optimal binary tree built on m nodes with weights 1, 2, 3,…, m . The simplicity of this proof suggests that one can try to compute the cost of optimal trees for other special classes of weights.
Establishing Mutual‐Help Groups for Family‐Member Care Givers: A New Role for Community Health Nurses

Today, an ever increasing percentage of the population is becoming elderly. As a result, the number of families becoming involved in caring for an elderly relative is also increasing. These family care givers are at risk for developing emotional and physical problems brought about by stresses and strains inherent in this role. Community health nurses are in a unique position to support these persons by creating mutual-help groups. Such groups help to supply care givers with a forum for continuing problem solving and inform them of resources available within the community.
Comparison of three sets of higher order adiabatic plasma equations

A comparison is made among three methods of obtaining highly accurate approximate expressions for the average motion of plasmas in slowly varying electric and magnetic fields. It is shown that no inconsistencies are revealed by this comparison and that, in fact, two of the techniques are completely equivalent while most of the results of the third can be obtained from the equivalent pair. As a by‐product of the comparison, a function is obtained which can be shown to be conserved along the guiding center trajectory.
New circuit breaker for aircraft electric systems

Protective equipment for 120-volt aircraft electric systems has been lacking. Now a new circuit breaker with ratings from 40 to 125 amperes has been developed for a-c or d-c systems.
Largest crater shape in the Great Sahara revealed by multi-spectral images and radar data

This Letter communicates the discovery of an exceptionally large, double-ringed crater in the eastern part of the Great Sahara, North Africa. The crater is centred at 24.40° N 24.58° E, straddling the boarder between Egypt and Libya. It is the 15th and largest impact crater identified in the Sahara. Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images as well as Radarsat-1 data reveal a discontinuous outer rim, 31 km in diameter, and a group of prominences forming an inner ring. The Nubian sandstone surface in which the crater was formed has undergone severe erosion. Thus, the crater morphology was affected by both aeolian and fluvial processes. Courses of a major river and smaller streams, now dry, have eroded much of the crater's outer rim as revealed by Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data. The probable impact that created the crater, named Kebira, meaning large in Arabic, is possibly the source of the silica glass fragments that abound on the desert surface between giant linear dunes of the Great Sand Sea in southwestern Egypt.
Evaluation of p-terphenyl and 2,2" dimethyl-p-terphenyl as wavelength shifters for barium fluoride

Abstract p-Terphenyl (PTP) and 2,2″ dimethyl-p-terphenyl (DMT) have been investigated for use as wavelength shifters (WLSs) for barium fluoride (BaF 2 ) scintillation emission. These two organic fluors are attractive due to their high quantum efficiency, fast fluorescence decay time, and emissions above the wavelength cut-off of borosilicate glass. Measurements of these WLSs dissolved in cyclohexane are presented. Coincidence time spectra and fluorescence decay spectra measured with BaF 2 as the pump source, are shown. The fluorescence decay time and the ratio of fast to slow intensities were determined from the fluorescence decay spectrum. The increase in signal resulting from using a WLS between the borosilicate end-window photomultiplier tube and the BaF 2 crystal is measured. The motivation behind this work is the development of a gamma-ray spectrometer suitable for high count rate applications. We are also investigating the possibility of separating the fast and slow emissions of BaF 2 using optical techniques. PTP and DMT both can spectrally separate BaFe 2 emissions to a marginal extent.
Further Properties of a Continuum of Model Equations with Globally Defined Flux

To develop an understanding of singularity formation in vortex sheets, we consider model equations that exhibit shared characteristics with the vortex sheet equation but are slightly easier to analyze. A model equation is obtained by replacing the flux term in Burgers' equation by alternatives that contain contributions depending globally on the solution. We consider the continuum of partial differential equationsut = θ(H(u)u)x + (1 − θ)(u)ux + νuxx, 0 ≤ θ ≤ 1, ν ≥ 0, whereH(u) is the Hilbert transform ofu. We show that when θ = 1/2, for ν > 0, the solution of the equation exists for all time and is unique. We also show with a combination of analytical and numerical means that the solution when θ = 1/2 and ν > 0 is analytic. Using a pseudo-spectral method in space and the Adams–Moulton fourth-order predictor-corrector in time, we compute the numerical solution of the equation with θ = 1/2 for various viscosities. The results confirm that for ν > 0, the solution is well behaved and analytic. The numerical results also confirm that for ν > 0 and θ = 1/2, the solution becomes singular in finite time and finite viscosity prevents singularity formation. We also present, for a certain class of initial conditions, solutions of the equation, with 0 < θ < 1/3 and θ = 1, that become infinite for ν ≥ 0 in finite time.
Estimating metacommunity extent using data on species abundances, environmental variation, and phylogenetic relationships across geographic space

article i nfo The metacommunity concept underlies many explanations for spatial variation in species diversity. However, to date, there are been only vague definitions of how to empirically construct descriptions of these important phenomena. We develop methods for constructing metacommunity descriptions based on the concept that each local community has a distinct metacommunity that contributes immigrants to that community. We call the community for which a metacommunity is constructed the focal community. We discuss three criteria for constructing metacommunity descriptions based on geographic distances, environmental distances, and phylogenetic distances. We develop objective measures for constructing subsets of local communities into the "best" metacommunity description for a given focal community using each of the three criteria. We illus- trate these methods using data on abundance estimates on 1393 local surveys of North America breeding birds. For each survey route measures of environmental conditions were obtained and used to calculate en- vironmental distances among the survey routes. In addition, using a phylogenetic hypothesis describing re- lationships among bird families, we obtained measures of phylogenetic distances among survey routes. Metacommunities constructed using geographic distances were closely correlated with those constructed using environmental distances, however, metacommunities constructed using family level phylogenetic dis- tances were less representative of local communities than those constructed using the other distance mea- sures. Our results imply that it is possible to obtain empirical descriptions of metacommunities related to communities of interest that can be used to develop rigorous empirical tests of mechanisms thought to be re- sponsible for patterns in species diversity in space and time.
Influence of mastitis on properties of milk. IX. Isolated caseins.

Abstract The influence of mastitis on properties of α s -, β-, and κ-caseins was investigated. Casein fractions were isolated from Wisconsin Mastitis Test negative (WMT 20mm) milks. Casein from positive milk was not hydrolyzed as rapidly by rennet as casein from negative milk, but κ-casein from positive milk was hydrolyzed more rapidly than κ-casein from negative milk. Some preparations of κ-casein from positive milk did not stabilize α s - and β-caseins against precipitation by calcium while other preparations were less effective than κ-casein from negative milk in stabilizing calcium-sensitive caseins. Whole casein and κ-casein preparations from positive milk contained higher concentrations of sialic acid. The phosphorus content and micelle forming properties of α s - and β-caseins were not influenced by mastitis.
Cytokine responses to the native and recombinant forms of the major surface glycoprotein of Pneumocystis carinii

Pneumocystis carinii is a major opportunistic pathogen and leading cause of morbidity in patients with AIDS. The major surface glycoprotein (MSG) of P. carinii, represented by a family of related proteins encoded by unique genes, is highly immunogenic and contains T cell-protective epitopes. We undertook the present study to define the CD4 T helper (Th) response by cytokine secretion to native MSG and a recombinant form of the protein, MSG-B. Spleen cells were collected from Lewis rats and restimulated with both native MSG and MSG-B. Within 24 h, the CD4 cells secreted high levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in response to both types of antigen, indicative of a Th1 response; however, after 72h of incubation, only the native MSG stimulated secretion of IL-4 (Th2 response) from the cells. We then investigated whether the presence of IL-4 could alter the predominant Th1 phenotype by the CD4 cells in response to MSG and MSG-B. Cells cultured with native MSG and IL-4 produced low levels of IFN-gamma and elevated levels of IL-4. Interestingly, cells incubated with MSG-B and IL-4 reduced production of IFN-gamma, but were not stimulated to produce increased levels of IL-4. The presence of anti-IFN-gamma antibody in the MSG- or MSG-B-stimulated cultures did not effect the expression of IFN-gamma mRNA, suggesting that the generation of Th1 cells in response to MSG or MSG-B was not dependent on IFN-gamma. We conclude that native MSG, which contains multiple forms of this antigen, and recombinant MSG elicit different cytokine responses in vitro. These data are not only important to studies of MSG, but may also be relevant to the role of MSG in the immunopathogenesis of P. carinii infection in vivo.
Megabar cavitation collapse

Summary form only given. A megabar plasma has been produced in a precisely controlled cavitation event with a repetition rate that can range from single shot to several per minute.
Gradualism and discontinuous change in evolutionary theory and political philosophy

Abstract Recent debates about ‘gradualist’ and ‘punctuated equilibrium’ models of evolution reflect conceptions of change in nature and in human history that can be traced to the ancient Greeks. Before Darwin, gradualist models of biological change were developed by some philosophers (e.g., Aristotle and Rousseau), whereas other thinkers wrote of evolution as marked by fundamental discontinuities followed by periods of relative stability (e.g., Empedocles, Lucretius). Throughout the Western tradition, these models of evolutionary change have not entailed corresponding views of human history: while some thinkers held congruent views about rates of change in biology and in politics (Aristotle, Marx), others combined a theory of discontinuous natural processes with gradualist models of human history (Lucretius) or evolutionary gradualism with a description of human history as a sequence of revolutionary transformations (Rousseau). Since specific examples of either ‘radical’ or ‘conservative’ theorists espousing each view of evolution can readily be cited (e.g., Aristotle, Hobbes, Burke, and Marx), there is no reason to attribute inherent political bias to either evolutionary model. Hence the issue of ‘gradualism’ versus ‘punctuated equilibria’ in contemporary biology should be decided—like all important theoretical issues—on its scientific merits, without reference to presumed ideological biases on either side.
Group practice at Baylor University Medical Center

The private practice of medicine allows doctors to ply their trade alone or in arrangements with other physicians. In the early part of the century, physicians typically practiced alone, many out of their homes. Even in the 1980s, almost two thirds of practicing physicians in the USA were in solo practice. Today <40% of physicians practice alone, and the percentage has been steadily declining (1). In fact, since 1985, more physicians are signing up with group practices than are accounted for by the number graduating from medical schools. This includes established physicians who had previously worked alone or in small groups who are now merging with or being acquired by group practices (2). When a physician completes formal training, he or she can decide to practice in a group or alone. This choice may pose a dilemma. Medical students and medical residents have studied the art and science of medicine; however, the framework in which medicine is practiced has not been emphasized. Group practices include multispecialty associations and single-specialty groups. Of the two, the fastest growing arrangement is of physicians of a single discipline. Whether a physician works alone, in tandem with several other physicians, or in a large group practice is determined largely by community and cultural influences. And over the past several decades, as noted, the predominant practice style has shifted. Why the change? Traditionally, independence and autonomy were valued and reinforced by the educators and leaders of American medicine. While these values may still be honored, collaboration and sharing of opinions have become increasingly important, in part due to the fragmentation and specialization of medicine. The business aspect of medicine has also been a driving force for consolidation and collaboration of the practice model. Beginning and building a successful practice has become more challenging. The insurance industry has contributed to this with its intricate contracts, credentialing hurdles, and capitated patient populations. Another factor involves the increased complexity of the medical practice. Typewriters have been replaced by computers, Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines dictate practice policies and standards, employees fall under mandates from human resource specifications, and contracts of office leases are written in legal jargon that many physicians find difficult. Even more difficult are the managed care contracts that typically require interpretation by professional law firms. In addition, many new physicians emerge from training programs deeply in debt, with financial uncertainties. Larger groups of physicians offer assistance with these issues and can also offer more extensive retirement plans, insurance coverage, and disability protection. It is not surprising that medical graduates often choose to begin their careers under the auspices of an established, organized group of physicians who can offer financial and professional security (Roy Perkins, MD, correspondence, September 21, 2000).
A YOUNG PLANETARY-MASS OBJECT IN THE ρ OPH CLOUD CORE

We report the discovery of a young planetary-mass brown dwarf in the ρ Oph cloud core. The object was identified as such with the aid of a 1.5-2.4 μm low-resolution spectrum obtained using the NIRC instrument on the Keck I telescope. Based on the COND model, the observed spectrum is consistent with a reddened (A_V ~ 15-16) brown dwarf whose effective temperature is in the range 1200-1800 K. For an assumed age of 1 Myr, comparison with isochrones further constrains the temperature to ~1400 K and suggests a mass of ~2-3 Jupiter masses. The inferred temperature is suggestive of an early T spectral type, which is supported by spectral morphology consistent with weak methane absorption. Based on its inferred distance (~100 pc) and the presence of overlying visual absorption, it is very likely to be a ρ Oph cluster member. In addition, given the estimated spectral type, it may be the youngest and least massive T dwarf found so far. Its existence suggests that the initial mass function for the ρ Oph star-forming region extends well into the planetary-mass regime.
Episodic memory in schizophrenia: The influence of strategy use on behavior and brain activation

Individuals with schizophrenia demonstrate behavioral and neurobiological deficits in episodic memory. However, recent work suggests that episodic memory deficits in schizophrenia may be mitigated through specific encoding strategies. The current study directly compared brain activity and memory performance associated with two different verbal encoding orientations in the same group of schizophrenia participants, in order to more fully characterize the role of strategy in memory processing in this population. Participants included 18 individuals with schizophrenia and 15 healthy comparison participants. Participants encoded words under two conditions during separate fMRI scanning runs. During Incidental encoding, participants were required to make abstract/concrete judgments for each word. During Intentional encoding, participants were instructed to memorize each word for a later memory test. Free recall and a recognition task (utilizing the Remember/Know paradigm) were performed outside of the scanner. Consistent with prior work, schizophrenia participants recognized more words encoded Incidentally than Intentionally, although free recall remained substantially impaired. Schizophrenia participants were also less likely to give Remember judgments for old words and more likely to give Guess judgments for both old and new words. When functional magnetic resonance imaging data were examined, we found that Incidental encoding was associated with substantially fewer between-group differences (Control > Schizophrenia) than Intentional encoding. Furthermore, schizophrenia participants exhibited intact activity during encoding of items that were subsequently retrieved. Our results suggest that use of an Incidental encoding strategy improved recognition memory among individuals with schizophrenia and resulted in a pattern of encoding-related brain activity that was more similar to that seen in control participants. However, we found that Incidental encoding did not improve free recall in schizophrenia participants and abnormal brain activity in some regions was observed, despite improvements in recognition memory.
Hyperspectral imager characterization and calibration

Current radiometric calibration standards, specifically blackbody and lamp-based optical radiation sources, produce spatially, spectrally, and temporally simple scenes. Hyperspectral imaging instruments, which in-practice view spatially, spectrally, and temporally complex scenes, would benefit from advanced radiometric artifacts that more closely resemble scenes the sensor will ultimately view. Techniques and artifacts that advance sensor characterization and algorithms that reduce the impact of scattered light on sensor performance are presented in this work. Example applications of the new technologies and algorithms on remote sensing hyperspectral imaging instruments are presented.
Doppler Ultrasonic Detection of Particulate Release During Hemodialysis with Cellulose Hollow-Fiber and Sorbent Suspension Reciprocating Dialyzers

Doppler ultrasound is a noninvasive technique for monitoring moving objects such as flowing blood while ignoring stationary objects such as shunt tubing. A Doppler system was investigated to determine its sensitivity in detecting particulate release in blood during hemodialysis. Seven hemodialysis procedures with dogs and six trials with humans were done using a sorbent suspension reciprocating dialyzer ( SSRD ). Two additional trials were done with humans using a cellulose acetate hollow-fiber dialyzer (HFD). A large increase (approximately twofold) was found in the reflected Doppler signal in outflowing blood from the SSRD and HFD in both dogs and humans. Numerous additional studies to characterize the nature of the particulate matter showed platelet aggregates in the dogs and fibrinogen-fibrin degradation products in the humans to be present in the outflowing blood. In vitro studies suggested microscopic air bubbles (less than 25 micron in diameter) may have contributed to the particulate matter detected during hemodialysis by this sensitive monitoring system.
Identifiability of isoform deconvolution from junction arrays and RNA-Seq

Motivation: Splice junction microarrays and RNA-seq are two popular ways of quantifying splice variants within a cell. Unfortunately, isoform expressions cannot always be determined from the expressions of individual exons and splice junctions. While this issue has been noted before, the extent of the problem on various platforms has not yet been explored, nor have potential remedies been presented. Results: We propose criteria that will guarantee identifiability of an isoform deconvolution model on exon and splice junction arrays and in RNA-Seq. We show that up to 97% of 2256 alternatively spliced human genes selected from the RefSeq database lead to identifiable gene models in RNA-seq, with similar results in mouse. However, in the Human Exon array only 26% of these genes lead to identifiable models, and even in the most comprehensive splice junction array only 69% lead to identifiable models. Contact: whwong@stanford.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Safety and effectiveness of gemcitabine in 260 patients with biliary tract cancer in a Japanese clinical practice based on post-marketing surveillance in Japan.

Objective: Gemcitabine was approved for the treatment of biliary tract cancer in 2006 in Japan. While biliary tract cancer is usually associated with patients 70 years of age or older and/or those who tend to have underlying liver dysfunction, data on this population were limited in the Japanese Phase II study of gemcitabine. Thus, further evaluation of safety and effectiveness in this population was planned. This special post-marketing surveillance was conducted as an observational study on the use of gemcitabine in a clinical practice setting. Methods: Gemcitabine-naive patients with biliary tract cancer were enrolled from 2006 to 2008 and observed over 12 months; one or more doses of gemcitabine were administered during the period. Data such as patient background, treatment details, adverse events occur- ring during the observational period, laboratory values of liver enzyme and survival status were collected 3 and 12 months after the start of therapy. Results: Of the 285 patients registered for the study, 260 were included in the analysis. The mean age was 66.9 years. There were 120 patients (46.2%) classified as elderly (70 years or older). Haematotoxicities were the most common adverse drug reactions. In the elderly and the non-elderly, adverse drug reactions (serious) occurred in 48.3% (20.8%) and 50.7% (12.9%), respectively. The overall estimated 1-year survival rate was 52.5% (95% confidence interval, 45.9-58.7%). Conclusions: In line with previous clinical and post-marketing studies conducted in Japan, the results of this study suggest that gemcitabine could be used safely and effectively for biliary tract cancer patients including the elderly.
Special issue: Viruses infecting fish, amphibians, and reptiles.

Although viruses infecting and affecting humans are the focus of considerable research effort, viruses that target other animal species, including cold-blooded vertebrates, are receiving increased attention. In part this reflects the interests of comparative virologists, but increasingly it is based on the impact that many viruses have on ecologically and commercially important animals. Frogs and other amphibians are sentinels of environmental health and their disappearance following viral or fungal (chytrid) infection is a cause for alarm. Likewise, because aquaculture and mariculture are providing an increasingly large percentage of the “seafood” consumed by humans, viral agents that adversely impact the harvest of cultured fish and amphibians are of equal concern. [...]