cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Concentrations of Levamisole Required for Enhanced Proliferation of Human Lymphocytes and Phagocytosis by Macrophages

We studied the in vitro effects of levamisole on phagocytosis by macrophages and on proliferation of lymphocytes obtained from human peripheral blood. It was observed that levamisole directly stimulated phagocytosis in a lymphocyte-free system. Enhancement was optimal at a concentration that inhibited antigen- or mitogen-induced stimulation of sensitive lymphocytes. Lower concentrations of levamisole enhanced the proliferative lymphocyte response.
The overlap between neurodegenerative and vascular factors in the pathogenesis of dementia

There is increasing evidence that cerebrovascular dysfunction plays a role not only in vascular causes of cognitive impairment but also in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Vascular risk factors and AD impair the structure and function of cerebral blood vessels and associated cells (neurovascular unit), effects mediated by vascular oxidative stress and inflammation. Injury to the neurovascular unit alters cerebral blood flow regulation, depletes vascular reserves, disrupts the blood–brain barrier, and reduces the brain’s repair potential, effects that amplify the brain dysfunction and damage exerted by incident ischemia and coexisting neurodegeneration. Clinical-pathological studies support the notion that vascular lesions aggravate the deleterious effects of AD pathology by reducing the threshold for cognitive impairment and accelerating the pace of the dementia. In the absence of mechanism-based approaches to counteract cognitive dysfunction, targeting vascular risk factors and improving cerebrovascular health offers the opportunity to mitigate the impact of one of the most disabling human afflictions.
Effect of postmortem deboning time on sensory descriptive flavor and texture profiles of cooked boneless skinless broiler thighs

Three trials were conducted to investigate the effect of deboning times postmortem on sensory descriptive flavor and texture profiles of cooked boneless skinless chicken thigh muscles (iliotibialis, iliofibularis and the femoritibialis). Broiler carcasses (42-d old birds) were procured from a commercial processing plant. Thighs were hot-boned (about 45 min postmortem), cold-deboned 2 h (2 h) or 24 h (24 h) postmortem. Sensory descriptive tests were performed on cooked meat by 8 trained descriptive panelists using 0–15 universal intensity scale. Our results show that there were no significant differences in average intensity scores of the tested texture and flavor attributes between the hot-boned and 2 h thigh meat. No significant differences for the sensory flavor attributes were found due to three deboning times. However, the intensity scores of 24 h thighs were significantly lower than the hot-boned and 2 h thighs (p < 0.05) for the texture attributes hardness, cohesiveness of mass, bolus size and chewiness. The score of 24 h sample for the texture attribute cohesiveness was significantly lower than 2 h thighs, and did not differ from the hot-boned sample. These results suggest that the earlier deboning postmortem (within 2 h) does not result in the differences in flavor and texture profiles of cooked thigh meat. The time of thigh muscle removal within 24 h postmortem does not influence the flavor profiles of cooked meat; however, it can significantly affect the texture profiles. Cooked, 24-h deboned chicken thighs have different sensory texture properties from either cooked hot-boned or cooked 2-h deboned chicken thighs.
Ligand-dependent catalytic cycle and role of styrene in nickel-catalyzed anhydride cross-coupling: evidence for turnover-limiting reductive elimination.

Results from a mechanistic study on the Ni(COD)2−bipy-catalyzed alkylation of anhydrides are consistent with turnover-limiting reductive elimination at high Et2Zn concentrations. While the presence of styrene does not affect the initial rate of alkylation, it appears to inhibit catalyst decomposition and provides higher product yield at long reaction times. In contrast, Ni(COD)2−iPrPHOX-catalyzed anhydride alkylation proceeds through two competing catalytic cycles differentiated by the presence of styrene. The presence of styrene in this system appears to accelerate rate-limiting oxidative addition and promotes the cycle which proceeds 4 times more rapidly and with much higher enantioselectivity than its styrene-lacking counterpart.
Monitoring crop yield in USA using a satellite-based climate-variability Impact Index

A quantitative index is applied to monitor crop growth and predict agricultural yield in continental USA. The Climate-Variability Impact Index (CVII), defined as the monthly contribution to overall anomalies in growth during a given year, is derived from 1-km MODIS Leaf Area Index. The growing-season integrated CVII can provide an estimate of the fractional change in overall growth during a given year. In turn these estimates can provide fine-scale and aggregated information on yield for various crops. Trained from historical records of crop production, a statistical model is used to produce crop yield during the growing season based upon the strong positive relationship between crop yield and the CVII. By examining the model prediction as a function of time, it is possible to determine when the in-season predictive capability plateaus and which months provide the greatest predictive capacity.
A VARIATIONAL PRINCIPLE FOR SCATTERING PHASE SHIFTS

Variational formulas for the tangent of the phase shift and for the phase shift itself are derived.
INSULIN: GROWTH PROMOTING HORMONE IN CRANIOPHARINGIOMA

Normal or accelerated growth in the absence of growth hormone (GH) occurs in some patients following surgery for craniopharingioma. To elucidate the mechanism of growth, blood levels of prolactin (Pr) insulin (IRI) and somatomedin (Sm) activity were measured in 8 children following removal of the tumor. In all patients GH responses were subnormal following insulin-induced hypoglycemia, arginine and L-dopa. Growth rates were 3.5 to 10.8 cm/year with a mean of 6.1 ± 0.9 (SEM) cm. Serum Pr was normal in 4 patients; in 3, vasopressin antibodies interfered with the assay. Sm activity was low in one patient and normal in 6. In 7 patients with adequate growth mean peak IRI levels were 125.57 ±26.74 (SEM) μU/ml after oral glucose (G); 71.00 ±24.37 (SEM) μU/ml after I-V tolbutamide (T) and 91.83 ± 34.40 (SEM) μU/ml after I-V arginine (A). These values were similar to or higher than mean peak IRI in normal children [ 79.55± 19.73 (SEM) μU/ml after G; 56.22 ± 10.79 (SEM) μU/ml after T and 40.7 ± 7.0 (SEM) μU/ml after A] and in children with idiopathic hypopituitarism [34.00 ± 7.43 (SEM) μU/ml after G and 11.50 ± 1.73 (SEM) μU/ml after T]. One patient with suboptimal growth had normal Sm but low IRI levels (30 μU/ml after G and 25 μU/ml after T). These data suggest that: a) insulin may be the growth promoting hormone in these patients; b) Sm may not be necessary for postoperative growth and does not appear to be generated by Pr.
On a theorem of Frobenius: solutions of X n = 1 in finite groups

(1992). On a Theorem of Frobenius: Solutions of xn = 1 in Finite Groups. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 99, No. 4, pp. 352-354.
Initial spatio-temporal domain expansion of the Modelfest database

The first Modelfest group publication appeared in the SPIE Human Vision and Electronic Imaging conference proceedings in 1999. "One of the group's goals is to develop a public database of test images with threshold data from multiple laboratories for designing and testing HVS (Human Vision Models)." After extended discussions the group selected a set of 45 static images thought to best meet that goal and collected psychophysical detection data which is available on the WEB and presented in the 2000 SPIE conference proceedings. Several groups have used these datasets to test spatial modeling ideas. Further discussions led to the preliminary stimulus specification for extending the database into the temporal domain which was published in the 2002 conference proceeding. After a hiatus of 12 years, some of us have collected spatio-temporal thresholds on an expanded stimulus set of 41 video clips; the original specification included 35 clips. The principal change involved adding one additional spatial pattern beyond the three originally specified. The stimuli consisted of 4 spatial patterns, Gaussian Blob, 4 c/d Gabor patch, 11.3 c/d Gabor patch and a 2D white noise patch. Across conditions the patterns were temporally modulated over a range of approximately 0-25 Hz as well as temporal edge and pulse modulation conditions. The display and data collection specifications were as specified by the Modelfest groups in the 2002 conference proceedings. To date seven subjects have participated in this phase of the data collection effort, one of which also participated in the first phase of Modelfest. Three of the spatio-temporal stimuli were identical to conditions in the original static dataset. Small differences in the thresholds were evident and may point to a stimulus limitation. The temporal CSF peaked between 4 and 8 Hz for the 0 c/d (Gaussian blob) and 4 c/d patterns. The 4 c/d and 11.3 c/d Gabor temporal CSF was low pass while the 0 c/d pattern was band pass. This preliminary expansion of the Modelfest dataset needs the participation of additional laboratories to evaluate the impact of different methods on threshold estimates and increase the subject base. We eagerly await the addition of new data from interested researchers. It remains to be seen how accurately general HVS models will predict thresholds across both Modelfest datasets.
Timing of postcarotid complications: a guide to safe discharge planning.

Abstract Objectives: Currently, our standard of practice is that patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) may be safely discharged on the first postoperative day. Because many patients do not appear to require overnight observation, we wanted to determine the safety and feasibility of same-evening discharge by establishing the timing of postoperative complications, which may potentially require operative intervention. Methods: A total of 835 consecutive patients undergoing CEA were retrospectively reviewed. Sixty-two patients had a postoperative wound hematoma or neurologic deficit (ND) (transient ischemic attack or stroke) within 24 hours of their operation, complications potentially requiring a second operation. Excluded were 64 patients not eligible for same-day discharge because of other reasons (eg, heparinization, CEA with coronary artery bypass grafting). Results: Sixty-two patients (8.0%) had ND (26 [3.4%]) or neck hematoma (NH) (36 [4.7%]) within 24 hours of their CEA. Nineteen (73%) of the NDs were diagnosed in the operating room or recovery room, 5 (19%) within 8 hours of the operation, and 2 (7.7%) after 8 hours but in less than 24 hours. Of the NHs, 23 (66%) were diagnosed in the recovery room, 11 (31%) within 8 hours, and 1 (2.7%) after 8 hours. Of the outliers, one patient experienced a blowout of the vein graft occurring on postoperative day 1, one patient had a delayed ipsilateral stroke, and one had a vertebrobasilar stroke. Overall, only three of 773 (0.4%) patients undergoing CEA had a complication occurring more than 8 hours after operation. Conclusion: NDs and NHs in post-CEA patients occurred within 8 hours of operation in 95% of those patients experiencing these complications or 99.6% of all CEA patients. These data indicate that same-evening discharge may be safely performed without increasing the adverse effects of stroke or hematoma. This plan has cautiously been initiated at this institution. (J Vasc Surg 2001;34:13-6.)
DEA and Schedule II “Do Not Fill Prescriptions”— Disappointing Enforcement Activity

I wear several hats, and I am writing this commentary using three of them: 1) former Assistant US Attorney, US Department of Justice (where I often approved or disapproved cases of the Drug Enforcement Administration [DEA] for federal prosecution); 2) current educator on legal/regulatory issues surrounding the use of controlled substances to treat pain; and 3) patient who suffers daily from chronic, nonmalignant pain and who uses controlled substances long term to control pain and remain functional in all aspects of my life. The DEA's retraction of Prescription Pain Medications: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (FAQ), and its subsequent claim that Schedule II “Do Not Fill” (DNF) prescriptions1 violate federal law, disappoints and scares me for the reasons outlined below. There are two sides to the DEA. One is cooperative and cognizant of boundaries and realities of controlled substance prescribing and the importance of pain management in our country. The other is closed-off and ignorant of the realities of the US healthcare system and healthcare professionals. They serve masters who issue conflicting orders that “tie the health professionals' hands” and paralyze medical decision making. My comments support the call for renewed balance and a meaningful revisiting of the DNF issue with an eye toward encouraging the appropriate and safe use of controlled substances to treat pain. ### 1995—the DEA and the Ohio Boards of Medicine and Pharmacy The Ohio Boards of Medicine and Pharmacy support the use of DNF prescriptions and have a good reason to do so—the DEA told them it was okay. In 1995, the DEA told the Ohio Pharmacy Board and Meijer, Inc., a mail-order pharmacy group, DNF prescriptions did not violate any federal law or regulation. In doing so, the DEA distinguished DNF prescriptions from postdated prescriptions.2 When the DEA validated Meijer's filling of DNF prescriptions, the DEA acknowledged the federal law and regulations do …
Auditory P3 in Female Alcoholics

Background: The P3 (P300) has been considered to be a phenotypical marker of the risk for alcoholism. Although reductions in visual P3 in male and female alcoholics have been replicated, studies of auditory target P3 have been inconsistent. Our objective was to study the magnitude of auditory P3 reduction in female alcoholics and to establish the association between P3 reduction and alcoholism while taking into account comorbid depression and psychoactive drug dependence. The characteristics of P3 reduction were further examined by studying the reduction in family history–positive and –negative individuals. Methods: Auditory target P3s recorded from 61 scalp electrodes in female alcoholics (n 71) were compared with P3s from female controls (n 159) ranging in age from 18 to 50 years. The amplitudes and latencies were statistically analyzed, by using repeated-measures ANOVA, in six regional electrode arrays and at representative electrode sites, with age and comorbid depression as covariates. The effects of family density and clinical variables such as depression and drug dependence were also examined with correlation analysis. Results: Alcoholic women had significantly lower P3 amplitudes in all six regions and at midline electrode sites. The reductions were not associated with comorbid depression, as shown by low correlations and similar P3 amplitudes at Pz in female alcoholics with and without depression. The P3 amplitudes in women with a high family density were smaller than those in women with a low family density of alcohol dependence. Drug dependency did not influence P3 amplitude, as shown by similar responses in drugdependent and non–drug-dependent alcoholic women. Conclusions: These findings highlight the significance of P3 reductions associated with alcoholism in women, independently of comorbid depression. Family density effects further support the evidence that these findings are heritable. These results suggest that P3 can be considered as a phenotypical marker of vulnerability to alcoholism in women.
Decreasing Total Joint Implant Costs and Physician Specific Cost Variation Through Negotiation

Reducing the cost of total joint implants can significantly reduce the cost of an episode of care without affecting the quality. In 2011 we began a program to decrease and standardize the pricing of total joint implants. In the first year of the intervention we preformed 1,090 and 1,022 unilateral total knee and total hip arthroplasties respectively. Based on our volume and pricing data, our institution saved over $2 million during the first year of this intervention. It is clear that our initiative to negotiate lower implant cost with our vendors has lead to a significant reduction in the cost of joint arthroplasties and a reduction in the variability in costs between physicians.
Ca2+ preconditioning elicits a unique protection against the Ca2+ paradox injury in rat heart. Role of adenosine. Fixed.

Repeated Ca2+ depletion and repletion of short duration, termed Ca2+ preconditioning (CPC), is hypothesized to protect the heart from lethal injury after exposing it to the Ca2+ paradox (Ca2+ PD). Hearts were preconditioned with five cycles of Ca2+ depletion (1 minute) and Ca2+ repletion (5 minutes). These hearts were then subjected to Ca2+ PD, ie, one cycle of Ca2+ depletion (10 minutes) and Ca2+ repletion (10 minutes). Hearts subject to the Ca2+ PD underwent rapid necrosis, and myocytes were severely injured. CPC hearts showed a remarkable preservation of cell structure; ie, 65% of the cells were normal in CPC hearts compared with 0% in the Ca2+ PD hearts. LDH release was significantly reduced in CPC hearts compared with Ca2+ PD hearts (2.45 +/- 0.18 and 8.02 +/- 0.7 U.min-1 x g-1, respectively). ATP contents of CPC hearts were less depleted compared with the Ca2+ PD hearts (5.9 +/- 0.8 and 3.0 +/- 0.16 mumol/g dry weight, respectively). Addition of the adenosine A1 receptor agonist R-phenylisopropyl adenosine before and during Ca2+ PD provided protection similar to that in CPC hearts, whereas the nonselective adenosine A1 receptor antagonist, 8-(p-sulfophenyl)-theophylline, blocked the beneficial effects of CPC. CPC-mediated protection was aborted when hearts subjected to CPC were treated with pertussis toxin (the guanine nucleotide or G-protein inhibitor). The present study suggests that Ca2+ preconditioning confers significant protection against the lethal injury of Ca2+ PD in rat hearts. Cardioprotection appears to result from adenosine release during preconditioning and by Gi-protein-modulated mechanisms.
Complete Genome Sequence of Solvent-Tolerant Clostridium beijerinckii Strain SA-1

ABSTRACT We report the complete genome sequence of Clostridium beijerinckii SA-1, derived by directed evolution from C. beijerinckii NCIMB 8052, selecting for enhanced solvent tolerance. This sequence allows for accurate placement of SA-1 as C. beijerinckii, permits functional analyses of mutant phenotypes, and suggests methods for distinguishing SA-1 from its parent.
Electron transfer in reaction centers of Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides. II. Free energy and kinetic relations between the acceptor states QA−QB− and QAQ2−B

Thermodynamic equilibria and electron transfer kinetics involving the quinone acceptor complex in reaction centers from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides were investigated. We focussed on reactions involving the two-electron states QA-QB- and QAQ2−B, described by the scheme The equilibrium partitioning between QA-QB- and QAQ2−B was determined spectroscopically from either the concentration of oxidized cytochrome c or the concentration of semiquinone after successive flashes of light. At pH 9.5, QA-QB- is energetically favored. The reduction of QA, to form QA-QB-, is not associated with a protonation step (pK < 8). However, the reduction of QB-, to form the final state QAQ2−B, is accompanied by an uptake of a proton (pK ≥ 10.7). The preferential interaction of a proton with QAQ2−B provides the driving force for the forward electron transfer. The shift toward the photochemically inactive state QA-QB- with increasing pH may serve as a feedback mechanism in photosynthetic organisms to limit the rise in intracellular pH. The electron-transfer rate constants were determined from the observed kinetics and the equilibria between the states QAQ2−B and QA-QB-. The forward rate constant k(2)AB was approximately proportional to the proton concentration, whereas k(2)BA depended only weakly on pH. The recombination kinetics of D+QAQ2−B was biphasic. The slow rate agreed with the predicted charge recombination via the intermediate state D+QA-QB-; the fast rate may be due to the recombination from a separate (conformational) state. The results of this work were combined with those of a previous study on reactions involving the one-electron precursor states QA-QB and QAQB- (Kleinfeld, D., Okamura, M.Y., and Feher, G. (1984) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 766, 126–140). The overall sequence for the protonation of the reaction center in response to successive reductions of the acceptor complex involves the uptake of one proton for each electron transferred to QB. This sequential uptake initiates the formation of a proton gradient across the cell membrane.
Incidence of the Blood Group Antigen Mia in the Caucasian and Negro Populations of Western New York

The incidence of the blood group antigen Mia among Caucasians of Western New York was found to be one in 715; among Negroes one in about 305.
Prophylactic use of intra-aortic balloon pump for high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention: will the Impella LP 2.5 device show superiority in a clinical randomized study?

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to report the in-hospital and 30-day event rates in patients undergoing non-emergent, high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and to evaluate whether the Impella Recover LP 2.5 device (Abiomed, Danvers, MA) demonstrates superiority over intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in the Protect II (A Prospective Feasibility Trial Investigating the Use of the Impella Recover LP 2.5 System in Patients Undergoing High Risk Percutaneous Coronary Intervention) study. Background Patients undergoing non-emergent, high-risk PCI are often treated with prophylactic IABP for hemodynamic support. Methods A cohort of 85 patients who met the inclusion/exclusion criteria of the Protect II study was included in this retrospective analysis. High-risk PCI was defined as intervention to the last patent coronary conduit or to an unprotected left main or in a patient with three-vessel disease with an ejection fraction of ≤35%. Patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac arrest within 24 h, or cardiogenic shock were excluded. The primary end point was the composite of death, MI, stroke, transient ischemic attack, repeat revascularization, renal failure, severe hypotension, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, ventricular arrhythmias requiring intervention, and angiographic failure at 30 days. Results The overall in-hospital and 30-day event rates were low (15.3% and 21.3%, respectively) with a low major vascular complication rate (5.9%). Therefore, for the Impella Recover LP 2.5 device to demonstrate superiority over IABP with a treatment effect of 33.3% and 80% power, the Protect II trial will require a total of 908 patients. With the current sample size of 654 patients, the Protect II trial is underpowered, with only 66% power. Conclusion These data question the clinical benefit of the Protect II study, which is evaluating the relatively high-profile Impella LP 2.5 device over IABP for this high-risk population.
Mean-Field Bounds and the Classical Nature of Thermal Conduction in Nanofluids

The initial promise of nanofluids as an advanced, nanoengineered coolant has been tempered in the recent years by a conspicuous lack of consensus on its thermal conduction mechanism. Several new mechanisms have been hypothesized in the recent years to characterize the thermal conduction behavior in nanofluids. In this presentation, we show that a large set of nanofluid thermal conductivity data is enveloped by the well-known Hashin and Shtrikman (H-S) mean-field bounds for inhomogeneous systems. The thermal conductivity in nanofluids, therefore, is largely dependent on whether the nanoparticles stays dispersed in the base fluid, form linear chain-like configurations, or assume an intermediate configuration. The experimental data, which is strikingly analogous to those in most solid composites and liquid mixtures, provides a strong evidence for the classical nature of thermal conduction in nanofluids.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Comparison of Required Task Load in Simulated Autonomous and Controlled Airspace

This paper presents a first-order analysis of the control cost associated with a novel concept of operation for future air traffic. The concept of operation divides the airspace into autonomous flows and actively controlled flows. The paper models the effects of autonomy ratio and traffic volume on controller task load. A Monte Carlo simulator framework is used that allocates directly controlled routes and autonomous self-deconflicting four-dimensional trajectory flows in the airspace. Several stochastic models of aircraft scheduling, navigation precision, and conflict detection and resolution are interconnected in the simulation. Results show that autonomy can provide a buffer, preventing rapidly increasing task load with high traffic volumes. The projected increase in traffic volume still maintains feasible averages, but it poses a risk due to the rapidly growing variance that signals unpredictability. A Poisson process model is proposed for task load.
HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS OF DUSKY-FOOTED WOODRATS (NEOTOMA FUSCIPES) IN MIXED-CONIFER FOREST OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA

Dusky-footed woodrats (Neotoma fuscipes) are important components of forest communities, including serving as a primary prey of the California spotted owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis), a species of concern in California. We examined habitat associations of the dusky-footed woodrat at 4 study sites in mixed-conifer forest of the northern Sierra Nevada, California, during 2003–2005. We investigated the importance of California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) as a macrohabitat component for woodrats, and we examined microhabitat association at 2 levels, house location and house use, by comparing house-site (n ¼ 144) characteristics to random sites (n ¼ 144) and characteristics of used and unused houses, respectively. Woodrat density was positively related to density of large (� 33-cm-diameter at breast height) oaks, probably because large oaks are valuable food resources. Location of woodrat houses was strongly influenced by the presence of large (� 30-cm-mean diameter) logs and large (� 30-cm-diameter at root collar) stumps, but also by steeper slopes, and lack of bare ground and mat-forming shrub cover. We found little evidence that adult woodrats distinguished among houses with respect to microhabitat, suggesting that woodrats make decisions about microhabitat suitability when the house is built. In 2005, adults chose larger houses that were characterized by more logs and less poletimber than those of subadults, but we detected no such differences in 2004. Dusky-footed woodrats in the northern Sierra Nevada would benefit from management techniques that promote the growth and retention of large California black oaks and create large logs and stumps within a stand.
Mapping asthma-associated variants in admixed populations.

Admixed populations arise when two or more previously isolated populations start interbreeding. Mapping asthma susceptibility loci in an admixed population using admixture mapping (AM) involves screening the genome of individuals of mixed ancestry for chromosomal regions that have a higher frequency of alleles compared to the parental population with higher asthma risk. AM takes advantage of the admixture created in populations of mixed ancestry by searching for association between the ancestry score of a marker and asthma, as opposed to that between the genotype of the marker and asthma. The theory behind AM is that chromosomal segments of affected individuals contain significantly higher than average proportion of alleles from the high-risk parental population and thus are more likely to harbor a disease-gene allele(s). Criteria and practical requirements for AM to be feasible include: (1) prevalence of a disease is significantly different between the ancestral populations from which the admixed population was formed; (2) measurable difference in disease-causing alleles between the parental populations; (3) reduced linkage disequilibrium (LD) between unlinked loci across chromosomes and strong LD between neighboring loci; (4) a set of markers with noticeable allele-frequency differences between parental populations contributing to the admixed population. Single nucleotide polymorphisms by being abundant, stable, relatively cheap to genotype, and informative for LD structure of chromosomal segments are the markers choice; and (5) understanding the extent of segmental chromosomal admixtures, and their interactions with environmental factors in the study population. In this review, we summarize the historical context of admixed population and AM, and current opportunities of AM to map asthma genes. In addition, we provide an overview of potential limitations and future directions of AM in biomedical research including asthma and asthma-related disorders.
Effects of Bracken Fern Invasions on Harvested Site Soils in Pacific Northwest (USA) Coniferous Forests

Bracken ferns are known to dominate early successional vegetative assemblages in disturbed coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest often resulting in a suppression of conifer seedling establishment. This study was designed to explore mechanisms by which this suppression might occur. Bracken fern induced changes in forest soils were studied at 10 separate sites in the Oregon Cascade Mountains in or near the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest. All sites contained uncut mature forests and adjacent harvested stands that had been clear-cut 15–20 years prior to this study. Each harvested unit contained areas dominated by bracken fern. Of the 10 harvested units studied, six also had areas dominated by woody shrubs. Samples were collected both in spring/early summer when soils were relatively cool and moist and in summer/early fall when soils were warmer and drier. In spring/early summer, fern plots were significantly cooler than mature forest or nearby shrub areas. Fern soils were also significantly lower in K and NO3-N, and had lower denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) rates. In summer/early fall, NH4-N, NO3-N, DEA, and phosphatase activity were all significantly lower in fern plots. Of all variables, mineral N pools showed the strongest consistent trends differentiating fern from conifer soils. Our data suggest that bracken fern may have a competitive advantage by sequestering N to the point that reduced soil mineral N pools limit growth of competing vegetation.
CASE STUDY: Farm-level evaluation of implementing nitrogen and phosphorus feeding best management practices on Pennsylvania dairy farms

ABSTRACT Feeding best management practices (BMP) can have a significant effect on the environmental footprint of dairy farms. This case study was conducted to evaluate the environmental and productive effects of implementing several feeding BMP on commercial dairy farms in Pennsylvania. Fifteen farms (124.8 ± 20.5 ha, 169 ± 39 cows, and 31.4 ± 0.2 kg/d milk yield) participated in the study. Four baseline TMR, forage, milk, feces, and urine samples, as well as feed intake and production data, were collected from each farm every 2 wk between January and March of 2013 (PreBMP period). Feeding BMP were offered, and participating producers chose a set of BMP to implement on their farms, including reduction of dietary CP (n = 7) and P (n = 3) concentrations, adjusting rations for changes in forage DM (n = 10), group feeding of the lactating herd (n = 2), and no use of BMP (n = 3). Following BMP implementation, another 4 sampling and data-collection events took place between June and August of 2013 (PostBMP period). Seven farms reduced dietary CP (from 17.2 to 15.8%; P
Employee beliefs regarding the impact of unconventional appearance on customers in Mexico and Turkey

Purpose – The increasing prevalence of unconventional appearance attributes (e.g. tattoos, piercings, unnatural hair color, alternative clothing) is a concern among employers as these appearance attributes are often viewed negatively. Because much of the existing employee appearance research has been conducted in the USA, the purpose of this paper is to examine employee beliefs regarding the impact of unconventional employee appearance on customer perceptions of service quality in Mexico and Turkey. The authors also examine the impact of gender, age, and position level. Design/methodology/approach – The sample consisted of 295 white collar employees in various service industries in Turkey and Mexico. Respondents reported how they thought eight employee appearance factors (tattoos, facial piercings, unconventional hair color, unconventional hair styles, sweat pants, clothing with rips or tears, clothing that bears midriffs, belly-buttons, or cleavage, and uniforms) would affect customer perceptions of serv...
Wärmeentzug außerhalb des Sättigungsgebietes

Benutzt man als Kaltetrager einen Stoff, dessen kritische Temperatur verhaltnismasig tief liegt, so kann es vorkommen, das die Abkuhlung des verdichteten Gases nicht mehr imstande ist, eine Kondensation einzuleiten. In Abb. 22 ist dieser Fall fur Kohlensaure gezeichnet. Durch die Adiabate CP wird das Gas derart zusammengeprest, das die im Kuhler auftretende Zustandsanderung konstanten Druckes PE vollstandig auserhalb des Sattigungsgebietes verlauft. Ein hoher Enddruck der Verdichtung ist dann notig anzuwenden, wenn warmes Kuhlwasser.zur Verfugung steht und deshalb die Temperatur t u vor dem Reglerventil hoch ist. In Abb. 22 ist z. B. t u = + 35 ° C angenommen, also hoher als die kritische Temperatur der Kohlensaure. Trotzdem kann eine genugende Kaltewirkung erreicht werden, wenn der Enddruck der Verdichtung etwa 120 at absol. gewahlt wird.
Hydrostatic pressure measurements of endolymph and perilymph in a guinea pig model of endolymphatic hydrops.

The primary histologic correlate of Meniere's disease is endolymphatic hydrops. From this, many investigators have postulated the existence of endolymphatic hypertension, although there have been n...
The digenetic trematode Collyriclum faba (Bremser in Schmalz, 1831) in migrant and local birds from Panama.

A bird migration study was conducted by Florida State University during portions of the years 1967 and 1968 in the western part of the Republic of Panama. A total of 3,896 wild birds were banded between September and October 1967 at the Gorgas Memorial Laboratory's field station at Almirante (A), Bocas del Toro province, situated at sea level near the Caribbean coast in a tropical rain forest. Another 874 birds were banded from September to December 1967 and in March of 1968 at the Florida Audubon Society's field station at Cerro Punta (CP) situated at an altitude of 5,500 ft in the tropical cloud forest of Chiriqui province. Small nodular lesions resembling the tumours of avian pox virus, studied at the same locations (Kirmse and Loftin, 1969, Bulletin of the Wildlife Disease Association 5: 103-107), were found xclusively on the base of the lower mandible, the chin, or throat of the birds. They appeared as single subcutaneous cysts ranging in size from a pinhead to a cherry. They were easily removed through a small incision in the skin. Healing was promoted after application of tetracycline powder and birds from which lesions had surgically been removed showed no further sign of infestation when retrapped. On dissection the cysts contained a viscous yellowish-brown liquid in wh ch oval-shaped yellowish mature flukes were detecte , in numbers ranging from 1 to 8 specimens (mean 3.3) and measuring in diameter from 0.5 to 2.0 mm.
Revising a policy on inline filtration.

Q: My hospital is considering eliminating filters from intravenous lines, mainly because other hospitals in the country have eliminated using filters and this would save the institution money. What are the current views on the necessity for inline filters?.
Blood and Blood Disorders

Blood is the main vehicle for HIV transmission. Other frequent modes of HIV transmission occur from unprotected sexual intercourse, direct needle injection with or infusion of contaminated blood or blood products, or when using unsterilized equipment previously used by a known HIV infected person. An infected mother may transmit the virus to her unborn child or through breastfeeding.
Comparison of Ground Sampling Methods for Estimating Canopy Cover

Knowledge of the canopy structure is essential to improving our understanding of forest structure. While numerous sampling techniques have been developed to estimate attributes of the forest canopy, these require either additional measurements or a sampling design and measurement techniques that differ substantially from the ones that are used to estimate more traditional forest attributes, such as basal area, number of stems, or volume. The root ofthe problem is that the sample element for a design that estimates canopy attributes is the tree crown, whereas the sample element is the bole for a design that estimates an attribute such as basal area. For example, if a fixed-area plot is used to estimate basal area, canopy cover cannot be estimated using the same design because a portion of the plot invariably is covered by the crowns of trees whose boles lie outside the plot boundary and would not be included in the sample under the standard sampling design. In this study, a technique called "morphing" is used to model the trees outside the plot boundary. For the purpose of comparison, the morphing technique is used to estimate canopy cover using data from a circular fixed-area plot, and this technique is compared with both dot count and line intersect sampling using a simulation study and two small forest populations. For the study, the populations were sampled using circular fixed-area plots with radii ranging from p = 3.05- 6.10 m (10-20ft) and line lengths ranging from L= 3.05-22.9 m (10-75ft). For both populations, the bias of the canopy cover estimator derived from the morphing technique was negligible. The estimator based on line intersect sampling is design-unbiased, but it generally had a much larger variance than the one based on the morphing technique. The dot count method consistently had the highest variance. FoR. Sc1. 49(2):235-246.
A National Taxonomy of Fiscal Doctrines

Coinciding with the rise of marginal utility analysis in the early 1880s, many European political economists turned their attention to fiscal theory. In less than 20 years, a vast literature was generated, which manifested the different emphases British, German, Austrian, Italian, and Swedish authors placed on the fiscal process. Writers in the British tradition, having long considered the taxation side of the public account independently from the expenditure side, and having deemed the services provided by the State inherently unproductive, concentrated their energy to minimize the burden that public expenditures would inflict upon taxpayers’ budgets. With this objective in mind, British writers experimented with different concepts of equal sacrifice — equal absolute, equal proportional, equal marginal — to ascertain which would produce most effective outcomes. Seen from another perspective, these writers were striving to transform a fiscal precept they inherited from their classical predecessors, ability to pay, into a workable paradigm of tax policy. Italian fiscal scientists, meanwhile, were dwelling on the benefit principle of taxation, which had originated in their country as a principle of social justice by Tommaso Campanella,1 if not even earlier by Thomas of Aquinas,2 and which, in the 1850s, had been reformulated as a principle of taxation by Francesco Ferrara.3
ΕΦΗΡΜΟΣΜΕΝΑ ΜΑΘΗΜΑΤΙΚΑ. — On the linearization of nonlinear models of phenomena. Second part: Linearization by approximate methods

In a previous paper, contained in this volume, we discussed exact linearization techniques for solving nonlinear differential equations, when we get exact general solutions of NLDE in a closed form.
Radioisotope Dilution Technique for Determination of Vitamin B12 in Foods

A radioisotope dilution (RID) method for the determination of vitamin B12 is presented. The method combines a standard extraction procedure (AOAC 43.108, 12th ed.) with a commercially available RID assay kit. The method was evaluated on a wide range of fortified and unfortified food products. Recovery studies on both groups yielded average recoveries of 98.1 and 95.8%, respectively. Reproducibility data generated from replicate analyses on both groups gave a relative standard deviation of 6.9% for the fortified group and 9.2% for the unfortified group. For the samples studied, the mean vitamin B12 content determined by the RID method was 8.01 micrograms/100 g vs a mean of 7.54 micrograms/100 g by the AOAC microbiological method; the correlation coefficient was r = 0.983.
Robert Warington and the Moral Economy of the Aquarium

Between May 1849 and March 1850 Robert Warington invented the balanced aquarium.' Guided by the plant-animal complementarity doctrine of mid-century chemico-theologians, Warington established an artificial aquatic environment that revealed "the adjustment of the relations between the Animal and Vegetable Kingdoms, by which the vital functions of both are permanently maintained."2 A carefully selected population of fresh-water fish, plants, and scavengers (snails) could continue to coexist in a small tank of water indefinitely, Warington told the
Intercalation Kinetics in Multiphase-Layered Materials

Many intercalation compounds possess layered structures or interpenetrating lattices that enable phase separation into three or more stable phases, or “stages,” driven by competing intralayer and interlayer forces. While these structures are often well characterized in equilibrium, their effects on intercalation kinetics and transport far from equilibrium are typically neglected or approximated by empirical solid solution models. Here, we formulate a general phase-field model with thermodynamically consistent reaction kinetics and cooperative transport to capture the dynamics of intercalation in layered materials. As an important case for Li-ion batteries, we model single particles of lithium intercalated graphite as having a periodic two-layer structure with three stable phases, corresponding to zero, one, or two layers full of lithium. The electrochemical intercalation reaction is described by a generalized Butler–Volmer equation with thermodynamic factors to account for the flexible structure of the gr...
How to Develop and Optimize a Community of Practice for Educational Scholarship

Health profession educators face the challenge of simultaneously providing clinical care and undertaking scholarly activities. New models are needed to help faculty achieve their goals. Community of practice is an approach that can help busy faculty engage in scholarship collaboratively. This is a process that moves through stages of inquiry, design, launch, and finally sustain, all with careful attention to the social architecture of the community. Reflecting our experience of developing a community of practice at the University of Florida, this article provides guidelines for the development and optimization of a community of practice for scholarship within academic settings.
Response to Streby and Kramer: Additional considerations for explaining differences in return rates of geolocator-tagged and control Cerulean Warblers

ABSTRACT Our recent manuscript investigated geolocator-tagging effects on a small migratory warbler. Streby and Kramer (2017) suggest that a year effect may have been masked by our unequal sample sizes between years. They also argue that the difference in return rate between our geolocator-tagged and control birds was likely due to differences in harness styles used between years. We agree with their comment regarding the possibility that a year effect could have been masked by our unequal sample sizes. However, it is not possible to draw reliable conclusions from our data as to why we observed a reduced return rate for geolocator-tagged birds compared with color-banded controls, and attempts to do so are mere speculation. We also point out that both harness styles used in our study have been employed by a number of researchers who observed no reduced return rates for geolocator-tagged birds, including other species of parulid warbler. Researchers desiring to illuminate potential harness style effects on ...
On Types of Elliptic Pseudoprimes

We generalize the notions of elliptic pseudoprimes and elliptic Carmichael numbers introduced by Silverman to analogues of Euler-Jacobi and strong pseudoprimes. We investigate the relationships among Euler Elliptic Carmichael numbers , strong elliptic Carmichael numbers, products of anomalous primes and elliptic Korselt numbers of Type I: The former two of these are introduced in this paper, and the latter two of these were introduced by Mazur (1973) and Silverman (2012) respectively. In particular, we expand upon a previous work of Babinkostova et al. by proving a conjecture about the density of certain elliptic Korselt numbers of Type I that are products of anomalous primes.
TLR8 combined withTLR3 or TLR4 agonists enhances DC-NK driven effector Tc1 cells

Abstract Background Most current prophylactic vaccines confer protection primarily through humoral immunity. Indeed, aluminum salts which have been widely used as adjuvants in vaccines primarily enhance Th2-driven antibody responses. Therefore, new vaccines formulation is moving toward a careful selection of adjuvants that also elicit significant Th1 or Tc1 responses. Several TLR agonists have been tested as potential new adjuvants in clinical and preclinical studies with some efficacy. These studies suggest that combining more than one of TLR ligands enhances the magnitude of immune responses to cancer and infectious disease. Objectives In order to evaluate the synergistic effect of TLR agonists for effective induction of cellular immunity, we investigated the effects of single and/or combined TLR agonists on monocyte-derived DC maturation, DC-NK crosstalk and ultimately naive T cells polarization into effector T cells. Results Among the adjuvants tested, we found that TLR3, TLR4, TLR7/8 and TLR8 agonists were the most effective adjuvants to increase the expression levels of antigen-presenting, co-stimulatory molecules and production of cytokines by maturing DCs. When combined, TLR3 + 8 and TLR4 + 8 synergistically optimized DC maturation and IFN-γ secretion from NK cells co-cultured with DCs. Interestingly, co-culture of DC-NK-T treated with aluminum salt produced the highest percentage of effector memory CFSE-CCR7- Th1 cells whereas TLR3 + 8 and TLR4 + 8 treated co-cultures produced the highest percentage of effector memory CFSE-CCR7- Tc1 cells producing IFN-γ. Finally, while both TLR3 + 8 or TLR4 + 8 treated co-cultures generated similar frequency of Th1 and Tc1 effector cells, the effector cells from the latter co-culture produced quantitatively more IFN-γ in the supernatant. Conclusion Our data indicate that if in need of an enhanced DC-NK mediated cellular immunity one may select TLR agonists with defined synergistic effects.
Nautilus Studies—The First Twenty-Two Centuries

That lovely brown and white shell, the pearly nautilus, has fascinated humans for millenia. Its precise mathematical spiral and subtle coloration have touched our aesthetic souls. But it is more than that, for the pearly nautilus has titillated our intellects, too. From the time the first shell was brought from its home sea environs, our ancestors speculated as to just what sort of animal makes the shell, what that animal does for a living, and where and how it does it.