cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Allergic, dietary, chemical, stress, and hormonal influences in voice abnormalities

Summary Allergic, dietary, chemical, biochemical, stress, and hormonal abnormalities have long been recognized as important factors in both abnormalities of the voice and in the general health of the professional vocalist. In recent years objective methods have become available to evaluate and treat allergic, dietary, and chemical abnormalities and to better understand the effects of stress and hormonal variations. Assessment of allergic disease is efficient and cost effective through the use of in vitro testing techniques combined with skin end point titration. This provides highly specific and objective results and leads to accurate planning of desensitization treatment. This form of treatment can be especially beneficial in the prevention of recurrent laryngitis. An accurate nutritional history provides evidence of food sensitivities that can lead to cyclical allergic-like vocal symptoms that can be prevented with the use of elimination diets and the judicious use of desensitization therapy. An adequate knowledge of the potential effects of chemical sensitivities will assist the patient in the avoidance of provocative chemical exposures. An in depth evaluation of biochemical abnormalities and a specific assessment of the nutritional status must be considered to evaluate the underlying causes of long-standing general health problems that can affect the voice. Likewise, hormonal variations are not only important in their direct effects on the vocal mechanism but in their cyclical effects on the patient's basic biochemical balance. Lastly, stress, which has long been related to problems in professional performance, is only now being fully studied to determine its actual biologic influences and these must be related to the causes of voice disturbances. Understanding all these influences and planning a rational and efficient evaluation of these potential problem areas are imperative in the complete care of the patient with voice abnormalities.
Enzyme activity and behavior in hyperactive children grown up

Thirty-one men, originally seen as children for problems with overactivity, distractibility, and impulsiveness, were reevaluated at ages 21-23 years. Subjects were interviewed and tested and provided a blood sample for analyses of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH), monoamine oxidase (MAO), and catechol-O-methyl-transferase (COMT). A series of Pearson correlations between the biological variables and psychological measures revealed that MAO levels were negatively associated with measures of drug involvement, cigarette use, fire-setting, and sensation seeking; DBH levels were positively associated with measures of sensation-seeking; and COMT levels were negatively associated with a measure of hostility and positively correlated with a measure of impulsiveness.
Six new species of Danais Vent. (Rubiaceae, Danaideae) from Madagascar

Abstract Taylor, C. M. & Z. S. Rogers (2013). Six new species of Danais Vent. (Rubiaceae, Danaideae) from Madagascar. Candollea 68: 167–180. In English, English and French abstracts. Danais Vent. (Rubiaceae, Danaideae) comprises about forty species of woody climbing plants, with most of them found in Madagascar. Recent exploration there has documented six new endemic species that are described, illustrated, and mapped here: Danais antilahimenae C. M. Taylor, Danais disticha C. M. Taylor, Danais laciniata C. M. Taylor, Danais masoalana C. M. Taylor, Danais rakotovaoi C. M. Taylor, and Danais randrianaivoi C. M. Taylor. All six occur in humid vegetation and qualify as threatened based on preliminary IUCN conservation assessment (one “Critically Endangered”, four “Endangered”, one “Vulnerable”).
Transglutaminase and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

Abstract Changes in liver transglutaminase levels following injections of mouse brain proteolipid were studied in two genetically pure strains of mice. The BSVS strain which is 100% susceptible to experimental allergic encephalomyelitis responded with significantly higher levels of the enzyme when compared to the BRVR strain which is 100% resistant to the disease.
The self-diffusion of plutonium in a Pu/1 wt% Ga alloy

Abstract The self-diffusion coefficients for plutonium in a Pu/1 wt% Ga delta-stabilized alloy have been determined in the temperature range of 240 to 644°C. Using the “thin film” 238Pu tracer technique, the diffusion coefficients are as follows: e phase (574 to 644 °C), D ∗ = 7.0 × 10 −4 exp (−13 400/RT) cm2/sec. δ1 phase (340 to 508 °C), D ∗ = 76 exp (−36 300/RT) cm2/sec. δ2 phase (240 to 340 °C), D ∗ = 1.6 × 10 −2 exp (−26 300/RT) cm2/sec. Where δ1 = delta phase temperature range where volume diffusion is dominant and δ2 = delta phase temperature range where grain boundary diffusion has been proven significant.
Catch of Male Pink Bollworms in Traps Baited with Sex Attractane

When different types of traps were used in field cages to capture male pink bollworms, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), traps equipped with a lighted blacklight lamp and baited with sex attractant were the most effective. A modified Frick trap suspended horizontally was as attractive as a similar trap suspended at 45°. Calcium cyanide was not repellent when it was used as a killing agent in traps baited with the sex attractant.
Studies on bursting pacemaker potential activity in molluscan neurons. I. Membrane properties and ionic contributions.

Bursting pacemaker potential (BPP) activity of identified molluscan neurons has been studied using cells from Aplysia and Otala. The results presented in this paper indicate that (1) a potassium conductance mediates the hyperpolarizing phase of the BPP; (2) the BPP amplitude is directly dependent on [Na+]0; (3) BPP activity requires the presence of divalent cations and is prevented by Co2+ and La3+, but not D-600; (4) the apparent increase in membrane resistance during the depolarizing phase of the BPP can be accounted for by the movement of the membrane potential along the non-linear portion of the I–V curve; and (5) non-linear I–V relations and a minimal effective membrane resistance are pre-requisite to BPP generation. Coupled with recent observations on the presence of an inward current in these cells, the results suggest that the mechanisms underlying the BPP are similar to those proposed to describe the myocardial pacemaker potential: the hyperpolarizing phase is due to activation of a potassium conductance which slowly inactivates, resulting in a gradual depolarization until a voltage-dependent inward current is activated which then leads to an increasingly rapid depolarization and initiation of the burst of spikes. It would appear that Na+ may play the major role in carrying the inward current, although a secondary role for divalent cations cannot be discounted.
Reynolds number dependence of the drag coefficient for laminar flow through fine-scale photoetched screens

The laminar steady flow downstream of fine-mesh screens is studied. Instead of woven-wire screens, high-uniformity screens are fabricated by photoetching holes into 50.8 μm thick Inconel sheets. The resulting screens have minimum wire widths of 50.8 μm and inter-wire separations of 254 μm and 318 μm for the two screens examined. A flow facility has been constructed for experiments with these screens. Air is passed through the screens at upstream velocities yielding wire width Reynolds numbers from 2 to 35. To determine the drag coefficient, pressure drops across the screens are measured using pressure transducers and manometers. Threedimensional flow simulations are also performed. The computational drag coefficients consistently overpredict the experimental values. However, the computational results exhibit sensitivity to the assumed wire cross section, indicating that detailed knowledge of the wire cross section is essential for unambiguous interpretation of experiments using photoetched screens. Standard semi-empirical drag correlations for woven-wire screens do not predict the present experimental results with consistent accuracy.
Embedded Soft Processor for Sensor Networks

The introduction of smarter and smaller application specific processors has opened doors to the world of intelligent sensor networks. This has led sensors to have their own onboard processing and communication units. These technological advancements have transcended sensors from performing trivial sensing functions to performing more complex operations like monitoring environmental changes, carry out surveillance etc. We are presenting a soft core design that can be easily modified and integrated with other processing units to implement different design features for sensor nodes. The soft core is implemented using Xilinx ISE design tools. The core has been implemented and tested successfully using cycle accurate timing simulation.
Risk-based adaptive management for future land development adjacent to critical transportation infrastructure systems

The National Research Council identified a critical need for methods that protect multimodal transportation corridors from adjacent land development. Risk-based methods are essential to avoid costly retrofits, regret, and belated action by infrastructure owners, regional and local planners, and developers. This paper develops and tests threat and vulnerability analysis for land development adjacent to 6,000 miles of multimodal corridors in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The technical approach has several parts: (i) creating an inventory of approximately 70,000 existing access points on the corridors, (ii) identification and analysis of outliers in the densities of access points for one-mile sections of corridor, (iii) comparison of the access points with local traffic volumes and predictions of land development on a fifteen year horizon, and (iv) generation of priorities and recommendations for risk-based adaptive management that can include closing access points, restricting development, and negotiating between agencies and developers.1 The results are useful for allocating resources to vulnerable sections of transportation corridor and for helping to ensure sustainable performance of these infrastructure systems into the future.
Mallory-Weiss Syndrome in a 16-Week-Old Infant

The Mallory-Weiss syndrome is a recognized cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in adults. It is a very rare entity in the pediatric age group. The case discussed outlines the reasons for its rarity and the modalities used for its diagnosis.
Searching and navigating petabyte-scale file systems based on facets

As users interact with file systems of ever increasing size, it is becoming more difficult for them to familiarize themselves with the entire contents of the file system. In petabyte-scale systems, users must navigate a pool of billions of shared files in order to find the information they are looking for. One way to help alleviate this problem is to integrate navigation and search into a common framework.One such method is faceted search. This method originated within the information retrieval community, and has proved popular for navigating large repositories, such as those in e-commerce sites and digital libraries. This paper introduces faceted search and outlines several current research directions in adapting faceted search techniques to petabyte-scale file systems.
A data transfer framework for large-scale science experiments

Modern scientific experiments can generate hundreds of gigabytes to terabytes or even petabytes of data that may furthermore be maintained in large numbers of relatively small files. Frequently, this data must be disseminated to remote collaborators or computational centers for data analysis. Moving this data with high performance and strong robustness and providing a simple interface for users are challenging tasks. We present a data transfer framework comprising a high-performance data transfer library based on GridFTP, a data scheduler, and a graphical user interface that allows users to transfer their data easily, reliably, and securely. This system incorporates automatic tuning mechanisms to select at runtime the number of concurrent threads to be used for transfers. Also included are restart mechanisms capable of dealing with client, network, and server failures. Experimental results indicate that our data transfer system can significantly improve data transfer performance and can recover well from failures.
Becquerel and the discovery of radioactivity: Early concepts

It has been 100 years since Becquerel discovered radioactivity shortly after he learned of Roentgens discovery of x-rays at a meeting of the Frence Academy of Science. His discovery in 1896 was a direct consequence of his work and that of his father and grandfather on phosphorescence and fluorescence. It resulted from the serendipitous use of uranium salts, which have known phosphorescent properties, to reproduce Roentgen rays with the mistaken notion that they were a related phenomenon. Intense investigation by Becquerel and others rapidly revealed the differences in these radiations and led to the discovery of β, α and γ rays and the properties of radioactivity in numerous other substances. The work of Becquerel was acknowledged by Madame Curie to be the primary influence on the direction of her thesis toward the work that led to the isolation of radium and the introduction by her of the term radioactivity to describe these phenomena. Although the unit of radioactivity is now called the Becquerel in acknowledgement of this accomplishments, few people, even in the nuclear medicine field, are fully aware of the breadth and importance of his work. This article hopefully will help to resolve this
Immune and allergic reactions to diphtheria toxin and toxoid in guinea-pigs.

Highly purified diphtheria toxin and toxoid, provided by Dr C. G. Pope (1957), was used in these experiments. By methods which cause partial denaturation of the proteins present in such crystalline diphtheria toxin-protein the antigenic complexity of this material has been shown; three, and often four, antigens were detected by gel-diffusion techniques (Pope, 1957). Whether this means that Pope's preparations contain several separate antigens or that a single protein molecule has more than one antigenic surface cannot be stated dogmatically. Either interpretation is possible. All that can be said with certainty is that the experiments described in this paper were carried out using one or more substances and the evidence obtained should be considered with this reservation in mind. However, the actual degree of purity of the preparation of diphtheria toxin used was not, apparently, of major importance in the experiments described: the international standard for diphtheria (Schick) toxin, a comparatively crude preparation, behaved in a manner that did not differ significantly from that of the highly purified preparations of toxin. Similarly, the current laboratory standard for formol toxoid behaved, in these comparatively crude experiments, in a manner similar to that of the toxoid prepared from highly purified crystalline toxin-protein provided by Dr C. G. Pope. The explanation may be that contaminating materials have physical and chemical properties so similar to pure toxin and toxoid that their immunological actions, as measured in these experiments, are similar to those of toxin or toxoid. The immunological and toxic potency of these batches of diphtheria toxin or toxoid were assayed in terms of the appropriate international standards and are expressed in international units (Humphrey, Long & Perry, 1957).
Corporate Dividend Policies: Lessons from Private Firms

We compare the dividend policies of publicly- and privately-held firms in order to help identify the forces shaping corporate dividends, and shed light on the behavior of privately-held companies. We show that private firms smooth dividends significantly less than their public counterparts, suggesting that the scrutiny of public capital markets plays a central role in the propensity of firms to smooth dividends over time. Public firms pay relatively higher dividends that tend to be more sensitive to changes in investment opportunities than otherwise similar private firms. Ultimately, ownership structure and incentives play key roles in shaping dividend policies.
Task-directed computation of qualitative decisions from sensor data

Describes a novel approach to sensor-based decision making based on formulating and solving large systems of parametric constraints. The constraints describe both a model for sensor data and the criteria for correct decisions about the data. An incremental constraint solving technique that performs decision-directed model recovery is developed. This method is straightforward to apply, is easily parallelized, and convergence can be demonstrated under very reasonable structural and statistical assumptions. This approach is demonstrated on several different decision-making problems involving manipulation and categorization of objects observed with a range scanner. The experiments indicate that simultaneous solution of both model constraints and decision criteria can lead to efficient and effective decision making, even when the observed data does not strongly determine a data model. >
A System for Real-Time Spatio-Temporal 3-D Data Visualization in Underwater Robotic Exploration

This paper reports the development of a real-time human-computer interface (HCI) system that enables a human operator to more effectively utilize the large volume of quantitative data (navigation, scientific, and vehicle status) generated in real-time by the sensor suites of underwater ro botic vehicles. The system provides interactive 3-D graphical interfaces that display, under user control, the quantitative spatial and temporal sensor data presently available to pilots and users only as two-dimensional plots and numerical dis plays. The system can presently display real-time bathymetric renderings of the sea-floor based upon vehicle navigation and sonar sensor data; vehicle trajectory data; a variety of scalar valued sensor data; and geo-referenced targets and waypoints. We report the accuracy of the real-time navigation and bathymetric sonar data processing by comparing the real-time sonar bathymetry of our test tank floor to a high-resolution laser scan of the same tank floor. The real-time sonar bathymetry is shown to compare favorably to the laser scan data
Risk Factors for Sexual Victimization of Women Results from a Prospective Study

Using data drawn from a prospective study of 206 urban, predominantly low-income, African American women, sexually victimized before they turned 13 in the early 1970s, and a matched comparison group, this article explores whether child sexual abuse was a risk factor for revictimization and examines the role of other factors in the risk of victimization. Child sexual abuse before the age of 13 was not by itself a risk factor for adult victimization, but those who were also victimized as adolescents were at much greater risk of adult sexual victimization than other women. Additional risk factors included measures of sexual behavior and alcohol problems.
Army Officers' Spouses: Have the White Gloves Been Mothballed?

This article is an in-depth ethnographic assessment of the role expectations for military spouses. In the late 1980s, the Department of Defense acknowledged the rights of military spouses to pursue their own careers and ruled that the attitudes and behaviors of officers' spouses would not be considered a factor in officer promotions or assignments. Given this policy and the increasing societal acceptance of female participation in the paid labor force, as well as increased diversity among military families, the present study hypothesized a decrease in formal expectations for officers' wives. The article discusses evidence that formal expectations for some officers' wives have actually increased, and that wives' performance and adherence to expected military role behavior is once again a feature of the officer evaluation process. The conclusions and policy implications indicate that the pressures placed upon officer spouses negatively impact readiness and retention.
New Perspectives in Hemophilia Treatment

A variety of factor concentrates are currently available for replacement therapy for patients with hemophilia. These differ by several parameters, including source (pooled from pooled blood vs recombinant), purity, pathogen inactivation, and by the presence or absence of extraneous proteins such as albumin. The choice of replacement product reflects both safety issues of pathogen transmission or inhibitor development, and personal preferences of the patient and the physician. In general, currently available products are viral pathogen-free, although there is debate about the risk of transmission of parvovirus B19 and prion pathogens. Because of this very small risk, recombinant factor is the treatment of choice in previously untreated patients. In addition, a subset of concentrates contain factor that is activated during manufacture, yielding activated products that can be used in the treatment of patients with inhibitors. Such activated products, especially recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa), have also acquired several off-label indications in the management of bleeding in non-hemophiliac patients. The management of hemophilia patients with inhibitors is an ongoing challenge. Immune tolerance induction using a desensitization technique is successful in up to 90% of patients with alloantibodies against factor VIII, with greatest success seen in patients with low titer inhibitors who are treated soon after detection of an alloantibody and in whom treatment includes administration of immunosuppression along with repeated infusions of high titer concentrates. Such therapy is less successful in patients with factor IX alloantibodies. Non-hemophiliac patients with acquired inhibitors represent a unique patient population that requires special management. These patients have a mortality rate that approaches 25% because of the association of acquired inhibitors with severe bleeding complications, occurrence in a largely elderly population, and the frequent presence of an underlying, often serious, primary medical condition. Treatment consists of immunosuppression with steroids, chemotherapy, or intravenous immunoglobulin. Recent studies using rituximab for selective B-cell depletion in these patients have been very promising, although prospective controlled studies have not yet been performed. Finally, although hemophilia A and B appear to be ideal diseases to target with gene therapy approaches, the promise of this therapy remains to be realized.
State, Social Elites, and Government Capacity in Southeast Asia

The signal performances of Southeast Asian countries in attaining economic growth and political stability are frequently explained by cultural and policy factors. Recent research suggests, however, that the role of the state is extensive and central to economic and political goals. The present approach to the comparative evaluation of state capacities attempts to account for the variations and nuances of the performance of Southeast Asian states. The structure of political support and available means of social control provide relatively greater capacity to state elites in Singapore and Malaysia, and less capacity to state elites in the Philippines and Indonesia; Thailand is an intermediate case.
International Symposium on Modeling Techniques

The International Symposium on Modeling Techniques in Water Resource Systems was organized by Environment Canada and chaired by Asit K. Biswas of that organization in Ottawa. Under his editorship, two volumes of the Proceedings, containing 35 papers, were produced and are now available from the agency. A third volume will include the State-of-the-Art Papers, papers not included earlier, and discussions. The collection should prove valuable for those interested in judging for themselves about the future of modeling techniques.
Quasi-static analysis of elastic behavior for some systems having higher fracture densities

Elastic behavior of geomechanical systems with interacting (but not intersecting) fractures is treated using generalizations of the Backus and the Schoenberg-Muir methods for analyzing layered systems whose layers are intrinsically anisotropic due to locally aligned fractures. By permitting the axis of symmetry of the locally anisotropic compliance matrix for individual layers to differ from that of the layering direction, we derive analytical formulas for interacting fractured regions with arbitrary orientations to each other. This procedure provides a systematic tool for studying how contiguous, but not yet intersecting, fractured domains interact, and provides a direct (though approximate) means of predicting when and how such interactions lead to more dramatic weakening effects and ultimately to failure of these complicated systems. The method permits decomposition of the system elastic behavior into specific eigenmodes that can all be analyzed, and provides a better understanding about which of these specific modes are expected to be most important to the evolving failure process.
Mutations in NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase of Escherichia coli affect growth on mixed amino acids.

We isolated and characterized mutants defective in nuo, encoding NADH dehydrogenase I, the multisubunit complex homologous to eucaryotic mitochondrial complex I. By Southern hybridization and/or sequence analysis, we characterized three distinct mutations: a polar insertion designated nuoG::Tn10-1, a nonpolar insertion designated nuoF::Km-1, and a large deletion designated delta(nuoFGHIJKL)-1. Cells carrying any of these three mutations exhibited identical phenotypes. Each mutant exhibited reduced NADH oxidase activity, grew poorly on minimal salts medium containing acetate as the sole carbon source, and failed to produce the inner, L-aspartate chemotactic band on tryptone swarm plates. During exponential growth in tryptone broth, nuo mutants grew as rapidly as wild-type cells and excreted similar amounts of acetate into the medium. As they began the transition to stationary phase, in contrast to wild-type cells, the mutant cells abruptly slowed their growth and continued to excrete acetate. The growth defect was entirely suppressed by L-serine or D-pyruvate, partially suppressed by alpha-ketoglutarate or acetate, and not suppressed by L-aspartate or L-glutamate. We extended these studies, analyzing the sequential consumption of amino acids by both wild-type and nuo mutant cells growing in tryptone broth. During the lag and exponential phases, both wild-type and mutant cells consumed, in order, L-serine and L-aspartate. As they began the transition to stationary phase, both cell types consumed L-tryptophan. Whereas wild-type cells then consumed L-glutamate, glycine, L-threonine, and L-alanine, mutant cells utilized these amino acids poorly. We propose that cells defective for NADH dehydrogenase I exhibit all these phenotypes, because large NADH/NAD+ ratios inhibit certain tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes, e.g., citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase.
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Responsiveness during Lactation in the Rat: Estrogen-Induced Luteinizing Hormone Surges

Hypothalamic-pituitary responsiveness during lactation was studied by determining the ability of estrogen to induce surges of LH. In intact females nursing eight pups, 50 μg estradiol benzoate (EB) on either day 4, 9, or 14 postpartum induced surges of LH the following day that were similar in magnitude, timing, and duration. The results from females nursing two pups were similar to those from females nursing eight pups. When compared to the proestrous surge of LH, the surges in intact lactating animals had an earlier onset and decreased peak concentration of LH. The effect of high levels of progesterone on EB-induced LH surges was determined during pregnancy, when progesterone concentrations were similar to those during lactation. On day 14 of pregnancy 50 μg EB evoked LH surges the following day that did not differ from proestrous surges. Therefore, during lactation, the decreased ability of the hypothalamus to respond to estrogen is most likely due to the suckling stimulus or prolactin. The effects of ...
Re‐examination of the psychometric characteristics of the la monica–oberst patient satisfaction scale

The purpose of this study was to provide further psychometric testing of the 41-item La Monica-Oberst Patient Satisfaction Scale (LOPSS). Data were drawn from three studies designed to study a model of nurse specialist transitional care (n = 307). Previously, the scale had been tested with oncology patients. This study included three groups of nononcologic female patients. Potential scores on the LOPSS range from 41 to 205; actual scores ranged from 93 to 205, with a mean of 175 (SD = 24), indicating a positively skewed distribution. Coefficient alpha for the entire scale was .98. An examination of the individual items indicated that the LOPSS might be shortened without subsequent loss of information. Thirteen items with low item-total correlations or low variability were dropped. The resulting 28-item scale had a mean of 118.7 and a SD of 17.3. Coefficient alpha was .97. The results of a factor analysis of the revised scale were similar to those reported by La Monica, Oberst, Madea, and Wolf (1986). The results indicate that the scale is useful for nononcologic patients. The difficulty remains the positively skewed distribution of scores. More sensitive items need to be developed.
Catalytic Conversion of Ethanol to Hydrogen Using Combinatorial Methods

Ethanol is a globally available renewable source for hydrogen production for fuel cell applications. Prior research in this area focused on steam reforming of ethanol at relatively high temperatures (T > 500 °C), where carbon deposition and heat integration create operational problems. Combinatorial catalysis, an effective methodology for the accelerated discovery and optimization of functional materials, has been applied for the discovery of low-temperature catalysts for the production of hydrogen from ethanol. Libraries of catalytic materials were prepared by impregnating porous pellets of γ-Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , TiO 2 , CeO 2 , and Y-ZrO 2 with individual aqueous salt solutions of 42 elements from the periodic table at 4 different loadings in the range 0.5-5 wt %. Ethanol steam reforming activities and H 2 selectivities of these 840 distinct materials were then evaluated using a computerized array channel microreactor system and mass spectrometry. Catalysts were screened under identical operating conditions of 300 °C, 1 atm, and a GHSV of 60 000 h -1 using a feed gas composition of 2% C 2 H 5 OH and 12% H 2 O in a helium carrier gas. This systematic investigation, completed over a period of several months, both provided confirmatory results and produced new leads of superior catalytic materials. Pt/TiO 2 and Pt/CeO 2 were the most significant new leads, both of which gave the highest ethanol conversions (+90%) and hydrogen selectivities (∼30%) at 300 °C among all the single component catalytic materials explored.
A novel Isospora species (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from warblers (Passeriformes: Parulidae) of Costa Rica.

Five of 16 (31%) rufous-capped warblers (Basileuterus rufifrons) and 2 of 5 (40%) ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) sampled from Costa Rica were positive for a novel species of Isospora. Oocysts have a thin, smooth, double-layered, colorless wall and measure 22.3 lm 6 1.6 lm 3 24.3 lm 6 1.5 lm (19-25 lm 3 21-28 lm) with an average length-width (L/W) ratio of 1.0 (1-1.3). Oocyst residuum and micropyle are absent, but 0-4 spherical to cigar-shaped polar granules (1-2.5 lm) are present. Sporocysts are ovoid and measure 11.8 lm 6 0.9 lm 3 16 lm 6 1.7 lm (10-14 lm 3 12-19 lm) with an average L/W ratio of 1.6 (1.0-1.9). A knob- like Stieda body continuous with the sporocyst wall and a trapezoidal compartmentalized substieda body are present. Each sporocyst contained 4 sporozoites and a diffuse sporocyst residuum consisting of many variable-sized granules, some as large as 2 lm. This is the second description of an Isospora species in New World warblers (Passeriformes: Parulidae) and the first report of Isospora from both the rufous-capped warbler and ovenbird. The New World warblers or wood-warblers (Aves: Passer- iformes: Parulidae) are a diverse group of small, colorful birds found throughout the Western Hemisphere. The rufous-capped warbler's (Basileuterus rufifrons) distribution ranges from north- ern Mexico to Colombia. A resident warbler species with a patchy distribution in Costa Rica, the rufous-capped warbler is common in the northwestern Pacific areas, the central valley, and the intermontane valleys in Costa Rica at elevations up to 2,000 m (Garrigues and Dean, 2007). The ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla )i s found throughout North and Central America, and the Caribbe- an, with wintering populations found as far south as northern Colombia and Venezuela. The ovenbird is a migrant species found throughout Costa Rica from mid-September to early May
Phylogenetic Relationships of Mesozoic Turtles

Abstract Presented herein is the first morphological analysis of turtle relationships to examine the monophyly of many turtle groups by using only single species as terminals and by integrating a large number of primitive fossil taxa. The data matrix consists of 136 osteological parsimony informative characters with 169 derived character states for 45 fossil and 22 living species of the clade Testudinata. The results corroborate the monophyly of a large number of previously hypothesized clades, but refute the accepted hypothesis regarding the basal split of living turtles. In particular, the primitive turtles Proterochersis robusta, Kayentachelys aprix, Mongolochelys efremovi, Meiolania platyceps, and Kallokibotion bajazidi are removed from their current position as crown turtles and placed along the phylogenetic stem of this clade. The age of the turtle crown is thereby adjusted from the Late Triassic to the Late Jurassic, which is relevant to testing molecular clock hypotheses. This revised topology has...
Persistent Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Causes Ultimate Depletion of Follicular Th Cells in AIDS

CD4(+) T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are critical for the generation of humoral immune responses to pathogenic infections, providing help for B cell development, survival, and affinity maturation of Abs. Although CD4(+) Tfh cells are reported to accumulate in HIV or SIV infection, we found that germinal center Tfh cells, defined in this study as CXCR5(+)PD-1(HIGH)CD4(+) T cells, did not consistently accumulate in chronically SIV-infected rhesus macaques compared with those infected with less pathogenic simian HIV, vaccinated and SIVmac-challenged, or SIVmac-infected Mamu-A*01(+) macaques, all of which are associated with some control of virus replication and slower disease progression. Interestingly, CXCR5(+)PD-1(HIGH) Tfh cells in lymphoid tissues were eventually depleted in macaques with AIDS compared with the other cohorts. Chronic activation and proliferation of CXCR5(+)PD-1(HIGH) Tfh were increased, but PD-L2 expression was downregulated on B cells, possibly resulting in germinal center Tfh cell apoptosis. Together, these findings suggest that changes in CXCR5(+)PD-1(HIGH) Tfh cells in lymph nodes correlate with immune control during infection, and their loss or dysregulation contribute to impairment of B cell responses and progression to AIDS.
Associations of microbiota and toll-like receptor signaling pathway in esophageal adenocarcinoma

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize known molecules from microbes and have an established role in tumorigenesis. Using a rat model of esophageal adenocarcinoma, and human clinical samples, we investigated genes central to TLR-mediated signal transduction and characterized the esophageal microbiome across the spectrum of esophageal adenocarcinoma carcinogenesis. We surgically induced bile/acid reflux in rats and their esophagi were harvested at 40 weeks post-surgery. Tissue samples from the model were selected for gene expression profiling. Additionally, for rat and human samples microbiome analysis was performed using PCR-ESI-MS-TOF technology with validation by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Gene expression results in the rat model indicated a significant upregulation of TLRs 1-3, 6, 7 and 9 in EAC compared to normal epithelium. PCR-ESI-MS-TOF analysis revealed a prevalence of Escherichia coli in Barrett’s esophagus (60 %) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (100 %), which was validated by fluorescence in situ hybridization. In the human clinical samples, Streptococcus pneumonia was detected in high abundance in gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett’s esophagus (50–70 %) in comparison to tumor adjacent normal epithelium, dysplasia, and esophageal adenocarcinoma (20–30 %). E. coli was detected in the Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma groups but was absent in the tumor adjacent normal epithelium, dysplasia, and the gastroesophageal reflux disease groups. We demonstrated an association between the TLR signaling pathway and E. coli hinting towards possible early molecular changes being mediated by microbes in the rat model of esophageal adenocarcinoma carcinogenesis. Studies on human clinical samples also corroborate results to some extent; however, a study with larger sample size is needed to further explore this association.
Liquidity, Accounting Transparency, and the Cost of Capital: Evidence from Real Estate Investment Trusts

We investigate the influence financial transparency, organizational complexity, and the cost of capital exert over financial market liquidity. Given regulatory distribution requirements, real estat...
In situ Mineralization of Hydroxyapatite for a Molecular Control of Mechanical Responses in Hydroxyapatite-Polymer Composites for Bone Replacement

In situ mineralization of hydroxyapatite (HAP) and the role of organics in initial nucleation and growth of HAP is critical for the resulting nano and microstructure of HAP. In situ mineralization of hydroxyapatite (HAP) in the presence of Ca binding polymers such as polyacrylic acid has shown some promise towards improvement of mechanical response of uniaxial compressed HAP/polymer composites to loading. This work represents fundamental studies on the nature of in situ HAP precipitation on resulting microstructure of the composite and bulk mechanical properties. Specifically, an experimental study, evaluating the role of initial stage mineralization of HAP on bulk mechanical responses is conducted. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic (with micro attenuated total reflectance) techniques are utilized to evaluate the association of polymer (polyacrylic acid) with HAP during mineralization of HAP. In situ HAP exhibits a faster mineralization as compared to the ex situ mineralization samples, This improved kinetics is responsible for altering the resulting micro and nanostructure of the HAP/polymer composite. Small spectral changes are detected in the absorbance spectra of in situ HAP as compared to ex situ samples. Changes in mechanical response to loading included improvement in strain-to-failure and resulting toughness characteristics of the in situ composite. The control and development of molecular-level associations of polymer with HAP is suggested to be critical for the resulting macro properties. Our results may have significant implications for design of nanocomposites for biomedical applications.
Antagonism of Morphine Analgesia by Adenine, Adenosine, and Adenine Nucleotides

SummaryAntagonism of the antinociceptive action of morphine in mice by prior parenteral administration of cAMP has been confirmed using two additional analgesic testing procedures, the hot-plate test and the stretching test. The analgesia-antagonistic property, however, is not specific for cAMP because it also occurred after pretreatment with compounds which probably increased the concentration of adenosine or adenine in the body. Preliminary indications are that an unsubstituted purine ring is a requirement for the adenine derivative that is primarily responsible for the antagonism of the analgesic action of morphine.
Speaking out against blood antiquities

The destruction of Iraq and Syria's heritage has unfolded on an “industrial scale,” according to UNESCO, the United Nation's cultural agency ([ 1 ][1]). In recent years, we have watched helplessly as terrorist organizations looted museums and thousands of archaeological sites and then sold
Design for Manufacturability with E-Beam Lithography

As the minimum feature size continues to scale to sub-22 nm, conventional 193 nm optical photolithography technology is reaching its printability limit. In the near future, multiple patterning lithography (MPL) has become one of the viable lithography techniques for 22 nm and 14 nm logic nodes [1–4]. In the long run, i.e., for the logic nodes beyond 14 nm, extreme ultra violet (EUV), directed self-assembly (DSA), and electric beam lithography (EBL) are promising candidates as next generation lithography technologies [5]. Currently, both EUV and DSA suffer from some technical barriers: EUV technique is delayed due to tremendous technical issues such as lack of power sources, resists, and defect-free masks [6, 7]; DSA has the potential only to generate contact or via layers [8].
Herpes Zoster Overlying Recently Placed Central Venous Access Site: A Case Report

Herpes zoster, commonly called shingles, is a disease that results from the reactivation of varicella zoster virus. Local trauma has been reported as a precipitant for reactivation, but this condition is rarely seen localized to a fresh surgical incision. We present the case of a patient who developed shingles overlying the incision site of a recently buried central venous access port, illustrating the need to consider this diagnosis as a unique imposter of localized infection or reaction at sites of recent procedural trauma.
The road towards nonlinear magneto-plasmonics

Nonlinear magneto-plasmonics (NMP) describes systems where nonlinear optics, magnetics and plasmonics are all involved. NMP can be referred to as interdisciplinary studies at the intersection of Nonlinear Plasmonics (NP), Magneto- Plasmonics (MP), and nanoscience. In NMP systems, nanostructures are the bases, Surface Plasmons (SPs) work as catalyst due to strong field enhancement effects, and the nonlinear magneto-optical Kerr effect (nonlinear MOKE) plays an important role as a characterization method. Many new effects were discovered recently, which include enhanced magnetization-induced harmonic generation, controlled and enhanced magnetic contrast, magneto-chiral effect, correlation between giant magnetroresistance (GMR) and nonlinear MOKE, etc. We review the structures, experiments, findings, and the applications of NMP.
Intraoperative Microstimulation Predicts Outcome of Postoperative Macrostimulation in Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease.

Background In deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus for treatment of Parkinson's Disease, a commonly encountered stimulation side effect is involuntary muscle contractions from spread of electrical current to cortico-spinal and cortico-bulbar fibers in the internal capsule. During surgery, a variety of techniques, including microelectrode recording (MER), are used to avoid positioning the DBS electrode too close to the internal capsule. At some centers, MER includes stimulating through the microelectrode (microstimulation). Objective To assess if intraoperative microstimulation can help avoid positioning the DBS electrode too close to the internal capsule. Materials and Methods From clinical records, we compiled microelectrode and DBS-electrode locations, microstimulation effect thresholds and DBS side effect thresholds. Results We found that capsular macrostimulation thresholds were significantly lower in cases where capsular microstimulation effects were observed. In addition, we found that lower-threshold for microstimulation-induced involuntary muscle contractions from a given DBS electrode contact predicts a lower threshold for involuntary muscle contractions as a side effect of stimulation with that contact. Specifically, our results suggest that capsular macrostimulation thresholds below 2V are avoided when the product of microstimulation threshold (in µA) and distance (in mm) is greater than 500. Conclusions intraoperative microstimulation can help avoid positioning the DBS electrode too close to the internal capsule.
Gain of chromosome 1q portends worse prognosis in multiple myeloma despite novel agent-based induction regimens and autologous transplantation.

We aimed to identify whether the use of autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) impacts outcomes for multiple myeloma patients with gains of chromosome 1q (+1q). We retrospectively iden...
Improved Dielectric Properties of Polyvinylidene Fluoride Nanocomposite Embedded with Poly(vinylpyrrolidone)-Coated Gold Nanoparticles.

A novel nanocomposite dielectric was developed by embedding polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-encapsulated gold (Au) nanoparticles in the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer matrix. The surface functionalization of Au nanoparticles with PVP facilitates favorable interaction between the particle and polymer phase, enhancing nanoparticle dispersion. To study the effect of entropic interactions on particle dispersion, nanocomposites with two different particle sizes (5 and 20 nm in diameter) were synthesized and characterized. A uniform particle distribution was observed for nanocomposite films consisting of 5 nm Au particles, in contrast to the film with 20 nm particles. The frequency-dependent dielectric permittivity and the loss tangent were studied for the nanocomposite films. These results showed the effectiveness of PVP ligand in controlling the agglomeration of Au particles in the PVDF matrix. Moreover, the study showed the effect of particle concentration on their spatial distribution in the polymer matr...
Working With Your Practice to Ensure Appropriate Point-of-Care Usage.

Judicious implementation of point-of-care (POC)2 testing is imperative to optimize benefits of faster turnaround time and smaller sample size while mitigating risks related to analytical performance, increased cost, user competency, and regulatory requirements. Close collaboration between the clinical practice, the laboratory director, and POC coordinators is important to ensure POC testing is implemented in the appropriate patient care areas, is analytically sound to meet the clinical need, and logistics of maintaining trained and competent users are understood by all. Therefore, it is important that institutions develop a …
Variability Analysis of Crosstalk Among Differential Vias Using Polynomial-Chaos and Response Surface Methods

The variability of crosstalk due to changes in differential and ground via configurations is studied in this paper. The polynomial-chaos method and the response surface method are adopted to mathematically model the variability. One goal of the work is to exploit the obtained models to locate the optimal response that both meets the performance requirement and remains robust to geometry variations due to manufacturing tolerances. Both methods correlate well with simulations and show great capabilities in practical applications for optimization and sensitivity analysis. The other goal of the work is to compare the two methods in terms of mathematical theories, sampling schemes, postprocessing, accuracy, efficiency, and limitations. Details of the comparison is given through this paper and a summary table is included in Section V .