cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Visual Signaling in Animals

Animals use a variety of sensory modalities (e.g., sight, sound, touch) to communicate, and the visual sense has perhaps generated the most fascination among biologists and lay people alike. Both behavioral and morphological traits serve visual signaling roles in all major taxa, and this article reviews key neural and endocrine pathways that control the most common behavioral signals (e.g., aggression, parental care, courtship) and morphological signals (e.g., colors, patterns, enlarged structures). It also highlights the need for an improved understanding of the neural machinery that processes and decodes the signaling information that is perceived and acted on by con- or heterospecifics.
Improving the attrition rate of Lanthipeptide discovery for commercial applications.

Introduction: Lanthipeptides are a class of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides. Lanthipeptides with antimicrobial activity are referred to as lantibiotics. Lantibiot...
Teaching students the complexity of green chemistry and assessing growth in attitudes and understanding

Green chemistry emerged over the past several decades as an important component of chemical education. Many different types of educational materials have been created to teach students the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry. However, an international push towards sustainable development challenged green chemistry educators to teach students to weigh the complex factors of green chemistry and consider societal factors of sustainability. In this paper, we review courses and programs that strive to achieve these goals and assessment methods that have been used to evaluate student outcomes of green chemistry courses.
The effects of social media usage on attention, motivation, and academic performance:

Accessing social media is common and although concerns have been raised regarding the impact of social media on academic success, research in this area is sparse and inconsistent. Survey responses ...
Integrated waveguide assisted electron emission device

We introduce the novel approach along with the experimental demonstration of enhanced photon assisted electron emission from monolayer graphene sheet placed over an optical waveguide. A critical challenge on state of the art photon assisted electron emission is low quantum efficiency (QE). One technique that improves QE is enhancing the optical absorption of the incident laser. Here, we specifically introduce utilizing integrated photonic waveguide under electron emitter layer as a mean to transport the photons and evanescently couple them to emitter layer. This evanescent coupling occurs through longer interaction length and photons can be absorbed efficiently compared to free space laser illumination from top on a monolayer of graphene. We also measured the free space photon assisted electron emission from graphene sheet and compared with the performance of the integrated photon assisted emission device.
Generation and Study of Inorganic Cations in Rare Gas Matrices by Electron Spin Resonance

A comprehensive treatment (through 1989) of electron spin resonance (ESR) results for inorganic cation radicals isolated in rare gas matrices will be presented in this chapter. The most recent method used to generate cations for rare gas trapping experiments will be described, namely, direct ion trapping of plasma generated by pulsed laser bombardment. [1,2] This highly versatile approach can be used alone to produce matrix spectra of isolated ions or in combination with other ionization methods during the deposition process. Examples of small inorganic cations studied by ESR in other solid hosts at low temperatures will be listed but no comprehensive treatment will be attempted in the space available for this much broader field of research which has been previously reviewed. [3, 4, 5, 6, 7] Several reviews of rare gas matrix ESR studies for charged and neutral radicals should be consulted for background information. [8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15] Different chapters of this monograph will discuss anion and organic cation radicals studied in the condensed phase by ESR and other spectroscopic methods. A brief section listing all gas phase cations whose magnetic hyperfine interactions have been measured will be presented for comparison with the rare gas matrix values.
Early Mortality Among Peritoneal Dialysis and Hemodialysis Patients Who Transitioned With an Optimal Outpatient Start.

Introduction Lower early mortality observed in peritoneal dialysis (PD) compared with hemodialysis (HD) may be due to differential pre–end-stage renal disease (ESRD) care and the stable setting of transition to dialysis where PD starts are more frequently outpatient rather than during an unscheduled hospitalization. To account for these circumstances, we compared early mortality among a matched cohort of PD and HD patients who had optimal and outpatient starts. Methods Retrospective cohort study performed among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who transitioned to ESRD from 1 January 2002 to 31 March 2015 with an optimal start in an outpatient setting. Optimal start defined as (i) HD with an arteriovenous graft or fistula or (ii) PD. Propensity score modeling factoring age, race, sex, comorbidities, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) level, and change in eGFR before ESRD was used to create a matched cohort of HD and PD. All-cause mortality was compared at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years posttransition to ESRD. Results Among 2094 patients (1398 HD and 696 PD) who had optimal outpatient transition to ESRD, 541 HD patients were propensity score–matched to 541 PD patients (caliper distance Conclusion Among an optimal start CKD cohort that transitioned to ESRD on an outpatient basis, we found no evidence of differences in early mortality between PD and HD.
Culturally Responsive Teaching in the Online Classroom

The concept of culturally responsive teaching has long been associated with the traditional, face-to-face classroom. However, the growth of distance education has meant that traditional classrooms are being replaced by online courses, and educators who were used to teaching in face-to-face classrooms now find themselves in a very different situation of teaching online. Culturally responsive teaching is important in all classrooms, and it can be done online. This article examines basic principles of culturally responsive teaching in the context of elearning. It focuses on practical ideas for instructors interested in developing their own culturally responsive online teaching skills.
Controlled Islanding of Power Networks based on Anticipated Severity of Extreme Events

A new mixed integer programming model is presented for developing islanding strategies for power grids when disruptions from extreme events are anticipated. It minimizes the total cost arising from planned load reduction together with the cost of unplanned load loss and network recovery. The later cost is a function of the severity of the anticipated extreme event. The model selects an appropriate number of islands and their sizes depending on the severity, Islanding results for IEEE 30-bus test system is presented.
Factors Influencing School Counselor Involvement in Partnerships With Families of Color: A Social Cognitive Exploration:

Using a national sample of 155 school counselors, we examined the relationships between school counselors’ personal and environmental factors and their involvement in partnerships with families of ...
The Difference in Being Poor in Red States versus Blue States

A person’s experience at the bottom of the economic ladder differs widely depending on where they live, and red state versus blue state policy differences are driving part of that geographic divergence. Red states generally have more punitive public benefits policies than blue states. This division is likely to widen in coming years as Republican politicians at the federal and state levels increasingly attach “behavior modification” requirements to governmental assistance, using federalism tools such as waivers to do so. This threatens to worsen poverty overall, but its impacts will likely be harsher in red states. This chapter traces the expansion of behavioral modification requirements, identifies its causes, and examines its geographical impacts.
The social setting in Latin America and the Caribbean

A wide range of sources have pointed out the magnitude and depth of the social problems that trouble Latin America and the Caribbean and the risks that these problems pose for democracy. Although there are other issues that merit consideration this article briefly outlines nine key social problems: 1) the increase in poverty 2) the impact of poverty 3) unemployment and informal employment 4) deficiencies in public health 5) problems in education 6) the newly poor 7) the erosion of the family 8) increasing crime and 9) the perverse cycle of socioeconomic exclusion. Solving these problems must not be delayed. It is urgent to move to a comprehensive view of development that achieves a different balance between economic and social policies and that recognizes the indispensable role of these policies in achieving truly sustainable development. At stake are problems that not only concern resources but also priorities levels of equity and the organization of society. Facing up to this poverty and inequity requires an in-depth assessment of these economic policies social consequences of the crucial subject of Latin America inequity--the greatest in the world--and of the role of social and public policies. (authors)
Wearable Inertial Sensors for Exergames and Rehabilitation

This paper presents the design and development of an exergame for the wearable inertial sensor (WIS) system for performing range of motion (ROM) exercises. The salient features of the exergame include: (i) a sensor calibration user-interface (UI); (ii) a sensor mounting UI, (iii) a patient gaming UI; (iv) an instructor playback UI; and (v) an instructor exercise development UI. Along with the WIS system, the developed exergame UIs enable a user to perform ROM exercises in clinical and home-based environments. The exergame UIs can also be employed in a telerehabilitation setting for remote monitoring and assessment. Preliminary results on the efficacy of using the exergame environment is documented with: (i) sensor calibration time; (ii) sensor mounting and alignment time on the human body; and (iii) examination of user adherence to instructor programmed exercise routines.
Paramedic Identification of Pediatric Seizures: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Pediatric seizures commonly trigger emergency medical services (EMS) activation and account for approximately 5–15% of all pediatric 911-EMS calls. More than 50% of children with active seizure act...
Experiential Knowledge as Capital and Resistance among Families from Mexican Immigrant Backgrounds

This qualitative case study examined the creation process and final artifacts of two biliteracy family projects that children and families from Mexican immigrant backgrounds collaboratively created...
Semiochemicals for bark beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) management in western North America: where do we go from here?

This paper is intended as an assessment of the state of knowledge and development of semiochemical methods for control of bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in western North America and as a roadmap for future research and development in this field. It is based on a keynote presentation given at the symposium Managing Bark and Ambrosia Beetles with Semiochemicals, held in 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, at the Joint Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, the Entomological Society of Canada, and the Entomological Society of British Columbia. We describe currently available active ingredients, formulations, and release devices. Furthermore, we describe the most urgently needed new products and techniques, and constraints to their further development. Finally, we speculate about opportunities afforded by new advances in microbial synthesis of semiochemicals, streamlining of regulatory processing, and aerial application using unmanned aerial vehicles.
Structural basis for the dimerization-dependent CRISPR-Cas12f nuclease

ABSTRACT Cas12f, also known as Cas14, is an exceptionally small type V-F CRISPR-Cas nuclease that is roughly half the size of comparable nucleases of this type. To reveal the mechanisms underlying substrate recognition and cleavage, we determined the cryo-EM structures of the Cas12f-sgRNA-target DNA and Cas12f-sgRNA complexes at 3.1 A and 3.9 A, respectively. An asymmetric Cas12f dimer is bound to one sgRNA for recognition and cleavage of dsDNA substrate with a T-rich PAM sequence. Despite its dimerization, Cas12f adopts a conserved activation mechanism among the type V nucleases which requires coordinated conformational changes induced by the formation of the crRNA-target DNA heteroduplex, including the close-to-open transition in the lid motif of the RuvC domain. Only one RuvC domain in the Cas12f dimer is activated by substrate recognition, and the substrate bound to the activated RuvC domain is captured in the structure. Structure-assisted truncated sgRNA, which is less than half the length of the original sgRNA, is still active for target DNA cleavage. Our results expand our understanding of the diverse type V CRISPR-Cas nucleases and facilitate potential genome editing applications using the miniature Cas12f.
Distributed Resilient Formation Control

This chapter considers attack-resilient distributed formation control of operator-vehicle networks. Through communication infrastructures, human operators remotely control a group of vehicles such that the vehicle team is able to finish the given cooperative mission; e.g., formation achieving. The key feature of the problem is that the communication network is compromised by external cyber attackers who aim to abort the cooperative mission.
Metal hydrides-characterization of common sample materials

Metal hybride alloys from the international common samples provided through the International Battery Materials Association (IBA) have been evaluated for their electrochemical performance characteristics. The published chemistry for these alloys is listed. In addition to these materials, two well-studied metal hydride alloys were also evaluated. These were LaNi/sub 5/, upon whose chemistry most of the IBA metal hydride alloys are based, and La/sub 0.8/Nd/sub 0.2/Ni/sub 2.5/Co/sub 2.4/Si/sub 0.1/ developed at Philips Research Laboratories. In all alloys evaluated, nickel was the major constituent. The focus of this investigation was to evaluate the electrochemical performance of these materials as related to rate capability and temperature dependency. >
An Algorithm to Generalize the Pascal and Fibonacci Matrices

The Pascal matrix and the Fibonacci matrix are among the most well-known and the most widely-used tools in elementary algebra. In this paper, after a brief introduction where we give the basic definitions and the historical backgrounds of these concepts, we propose an algorithm that will generate the elements of these matrices. In fact, we will show that the indicated algorithm can be used to construct the elements of any power series matrix generated by any polynomial (see Definition 1), and hence, it is a generalization of the specific algorithms that give us the Pascal and the Fibonacci matrices.
Envelopment DEA Models

This chapter presents some basic DEA models that are used to determine the best-practice frontier characterized by (Sect. 1.1) in Chap. 1. These models are called envelopment models, because the identified best-practice frontier envelops all the observations (DMUs). The shapes of best-practice (or efficient) frontiers obtained from these models can be associated with the concept of Returns-to-Scale (RTS) which will be discussed in details in Chap. 13. This is because the best-practice (or efficient) frontiers can be viewed as exhibiting of various types of RTS. However, if the inputs and outputs are not related to a “production function”, RTS concept cannot be applied. Under such cases, RTS is merely used to refer to different shapes of frontiers.
Temporal and spectral variations of the photoelectron flux and solar irradiance during an X class solar flare

[1] Photoelectrons are the main energy source of airglow used to diagnose the state of the ionosphere-thermosphere system. Because of measurement uncertainties and substantial gaps in the historical record, parameterized models of the EUV irradiance and photoelectron flux are generally used to estimate airglow intensities. This paper compares observed and modeled photoelectron spectra from an X3 class flare that occurred on July 15, 2002. The photoelectron data were obtained from the FAST satellite. Model photoelectron spectra were obtained from the Field Line Inter-hemispheric Plasma (FLIP) model using 10 s cadence solar spectra at 1 nm resolution from the Flare Irradiance Spectral Model (FISM). The observed and modeled spectra agree well temporally and spectrally within the uncertainties of the models and data. Systematic differences found between observed and modeled photoelectron spectra suggest that the solar irradiance from FISM could be improved at wavelengths shortward of 17 nm.
Improved change tracking for software maintenance

The authors demonstrate the usefulness of change tracking information from the maintenance programmer's perspective. They split the data into logical groups and find the connections between these groups. They describe a method to incorporate problem-solving information in a change tracking database. Problem solving is discussed with regard to structured problem-solving techniques for isolating difficult problems. A relational database structure and queries to access the database are discussed. An example of how the change tracking system supports the maintenance problem-solving process is also included. >
‘Any port in a storm’: responding to crisis in the world of shipping

This article discusses crisis, and responses to crisis, in the global maritime industry. In order to stay ‘afloat’ in recession times, ship owners increasingly opt for Flags of Convenience. During research aboard a mixed nationality crewed cargo ship, I observed how a local crisis of a flag change impacted on the ambience and social cohesion onboard, and how crewmembers responded by reinforcing ties to their families back home. By showing how crises and their responses play out on multiple levels, the article argues that the ship's ‘local’ population, despite its apparent isolation, is deeply embedded in global events and processes.
Reductive and oxidative degradation of iopamidol, iodinated X-ray contrast media, by Fe(III)-oxalate under UV and visible light treatment

Iopamidol, widely employed as iodinated X-ray contrast media (ICM), is readily degraded in a Fe(III)-oxalate photochemical system under UV (350 nm) and visible light (450 nm) irradiation. The degradation is nicely modeled by pseudo first order kinetics. The rates of hydroxyl radical (OH) production for Fe(III)-oxalate/H2O2/UV (350 nm) and Fe(III)-oxalate/H2O2/visible (450 nm) systems were 1.19 ± 0.12 and 0.30 ± 0.01 μM/min, respectively. The steady-state concentration of hydroxyl radical (OH) for the Fe(III)-oxalate/H2O2/UV (350 nm) conditions was 10.88 ± 1.13 × 10(-14) M and 2.7 ± 0.1 × 10(-14) M for the Fe(III)-oxalate/H2O2/visible (450 nm). The rate of superoxide anion radical (O2(-)) production under Fe(III)-oxalate/H2O2/UV (350 nm) was 0.19 ± 0.02 μM/min with a steady-state concentration of 5.43 ± 0.473 × 10(-10) M. Detailed product studies using liquid chromatography coupled to Q-TOF/MS demonstrate both reduction (multiple dehalogenations) and oxidation (aromatic ring and side chains) contribute to the degradation pathways. The reduction processes appear to be initiated by the carbon dioxide anion radical (CO2(-)) while oxidation processes are consistent with OH initiated reaction pathways. Unlike most advanced oxidation processes the Fe(III)-oxalate/H2O2/photochemical system can initiate to both reductive and oxidative degradation processes. The observed reductive dehalogenation is an attractive remediation strategy for halogenated organic compounds as the process can dramatically reduce the formation of the problematic disinfection by-products often associated with oxidative treatment processes.
Quantifying the parameters in fatigue crack propagation

Fatigue crack growth data in the region of stage II(a) and stage II(b) have been attempted. It has been observed that the stage II(a) and the stage II(b) crack growth rate vs ΔK relations have their own pivot points. The dependence of the threshold stress intensity factor on the stress ratio and temperature has been obtained in terms of the pivot point co-ordinates. The predicted values of the threshold ΔK compare well with the experimental data.
Epithelioid angiomyolipoma of the liver with striking giant cell component: fine-needle aspiration biopsy findings of a rare neoplasm.

Angiomyolipoma (AML) is a uncommon benign neoplasm of the liver with cyto- and histologic features similar to the more commonly encountered renal AML. Tumors composed predominantly of epithelioid cells have been referred to as epithelioid AML. Because most liver lesions are first evaluated by fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), it is important to distinguish this variant of AML from more common hepatic neoplasms such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or metastatic tumors. Rare reports of epithelioid AML of the liver diagnosed by FNAB are in the literature. Here, we describe the cytologic findings of a unique case of epithelioid AML with numerous giant cells. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Focused review of interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs for chronic pain management.

Interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs (IPRPs) are based on a functional restoration approach to treating complex chronic pain conditions. With a greater appreciation for a biopsychosocial approach to more effectively manage patients with chronic pain has come the development of more comprehensive treatment programs with less of a biomedical emphasis (i.e., interventional therapy, unimodal physical therapy, and passive modalities) and more of a biopsychosocial one. Interdisciplinary programs involve the use of multiple disciplines such as physical and occupational therapy, pain psychology, medical pain management, vocational rehabilitation, relaxation training, and nursing educations. Multiple psychometric tools are used in the assessment process and along treatment to better assess outcomes. This article will examine components of IPRPs, discuss desirable features of successful programs and teams, and more closely review four established outpatient pain programs in the United States. A greater understanding of the unique features and shared values of successful programs will help one better understand how these programs can be more widely used and available. The review will also highlight common psychometric outcomes tools used in assessing patients and monitoring outcomes. Most importantly, the review will help to answer a common question, even among pain physicians: “What goes on in those chronic pain programs?”
The physical chemistry of mechanoresponsive polymers

Stretching a polymer can accelerate chemical reactions of its monomers by many orders of magnitude. Exploiting such effects may enable materials scientists to engineer a material's response to mesoscopic loads at the single-monomer level. Such mechanochemical coupling underlies diverse phenomena including the operation of actuating polymers, the catastrophic failure of strained materials, the behaviour of polymer flows and chemical mechanosensing. Yet, our conceptual understanding of this coupling, which cannot be described either by continuum mechanics or chemical kinetics alone, is very limited. A general, physically sound and quantitative model to relate structural distortion at any length scale to reaction rates is needed to facilitate the design of new mechanoresponsive polymers. This article reviews the state-of-the-art recent efforts to understand the physical chemistry of such polymers, particularly the effect of mechanical loads on the reactivity of its building blocks.
Differential efficacy of three commonly used pyrethroids against laboratory and field‐collected larvae and adults of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and significance for pyrethroid resistance management

BACKGROUND:Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) pyrethroid resistance monitoring programs typically utilize cypermethrin in the adult vial test. Here we investigated if differences in insect growth stage and pyrethroid structure affect resistance ratios and discuss implications for pyrethroid resistance management. RESULTS: Vial bioassays with cypermethrin, esfenvalerate and bifenthrin were conducted on H. zea third instars and male moths from a susceptible laboratory colony and the F1 generation of a pyrethroid-resistant field population. In the susceptible population, both growth stages were most sensitive to bifenthrin and adults were more sensitive to esfenvalerate than cypermethrin. LC50 resistance ratios for the larvae and adults of the resistant population were approximately two times higher for bifenthrin than cypermethrin or esfenvalerate. CONCLUSION: For the resistant population, vial assays using either growth stage gave similar resistance ratios for each of the three pyrethroids, respectively, proving the adult vial test accurately reflects larval resistance. However, as resistance ratios varied considerably depending on the pyrethroid used, resistance ratio values obtained with one pyrethroid may not be predictive of resistance ratios for other pyrethroids. Our results suggest that carefully chosen pyrethroid structures diagnostic for specific mechanisms of resistance could improve regional monitoring programs. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Learning and control in virtual reality for machine intelligence

This paper presents a Virtual Reality (VR) interactive platform for learning and control for machine intelligence based on Adaptive Dynamic Programming (ADP). Recent research results have provided strong evidences that ADP could be a key technique for brain-like intelligent systems design, and VR is a powerful human-computer interface which can provide a three-dimensional (3D) active virtual environment. Converge these two subjects, we design an interactive system to facilitate and demonstrate the learning and control in VR environment with ADP. Our main goal in this paper is two-fold. First, we demonstrate that VR could be a useful platform to demonstrate and visualize machine intelligence research through the simulated 3D environment. Second, the integration of VR into machine intelligence research can provide a powerful platform to simulate, validate and facilitate the real-time interaction between the intelligent system and an unstructured environment. We discuss the detailed design strategy of the VR platform, and also demonstrated the interactive system performance based on the triple link inverted pendulum benchmark.
Microbial Communities Involved in Biological Ammonium Removal from Coal Combustion Wastewaters

The efficiency of a novel integrated treatment system for biological removal of ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, and heavy metals from fossil power plant effluent was evaluated. Microbial communities were analyzed using bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene clone libraries (Sanger sequences) and 454 pyrosequencing technology. While seasonal changes in microbial community composition were observed, the significant (P = 0.001) changes in bacterial and archaeal communities were consistent with variations in ammonium concentration. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed an increase of potential ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, Planctomycetes, and OD1, in samples with elevated ammonium concentration. Other bacteria, such as Nitrospira, Nitrococcus, Nitrobacter, Thiobacillus, e-Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Acidobacteria, which play roles in nitrification and denitrification, were also detected. The AOB oxidized 56 % of the ammonium with the concomitant increase in nitrite and ultimately nitrate in the trickling filters at the beginning of the treatment system. Thermoprotei within the phylum Crenarchaeota thrived in the splitter box and especially in zero-valent iron extraction trenches, where an additional 25 % of the ammonium was removed. The potential ammonium-oxidizing Archaea (AOA) (Candidatus Nitrosocaldus) were detected towards the downstream end of the treatment system. The design of an integrated treatment system consisting of trickling filters, zero-valent iron reaction cells, settling pond, and anaerobic wetlands was efficient for the biological removal of ammonium and several other contaminants from wastewater generated at a coal burning power plant equipped with selective catalytic reducers for nitrogen oxide removal.
Nasal Immunization of Asthmatic Children With Killed Influenza Vaccine

Since exocrine antibodies are produced and secreted in the nose in response to local antigens, and may be important for local immunity, we investigated the effectiveness and safety of nasal vaccination with a killed influenza virus (monovalent ‘Hong Kong’ strain) in 12 children with asthma and 2 normal adults. significant hemagglutination-inhinbition (HAI) and neutralizing antibody activities occured in serum and nasal fluids of all subjects whether given 2 doses of antigen nasally, or one subcutaneously, then on nasally. serum and nasal fluid titers were highest, however, in unvaccinated, naturally infected children. No adverse reactions to the killed virus were found; specifically, no aggravation of asthma, no increased sensitiviy to bronchoconstricting chemicals, and no sensitization to egg antigen were discovered. Fractionation of nasal fluids by gel filtration revealed that most HAI and neutralizing antibody activity accompanied exocrine γA. Reduction and alkylation of these fractions sufficient to convert 11S exocrine γA to 75 γA decreased both antibody activities, but the activities of γG-rich fractions were not thus decreased. These data suggest that nasal immunization with killed influenza virus is both safe and effective in producing nasal antibody in asthmatic children, although no conclusions can be drawn regarding whether the antibody levels attained are protective, or low long they will persist. (Supported by USPHS grant AI-08500 and NIAID contract PH 43-62-477.)
Culture and Characterization of Epithelial Cells from Bovine Choroid Plexus

Epithelial cells were isolated from choroid plexus, which plays a major role in cerebrospinal fluid production and regulation. Incubation of bovine choroid plexuses with pronase released cells which attached to plastic dishes with a plating efficiency of 5%. The cells were predominantly polygonal as judged by phase-contrast microscopy. These polygonal cells undergo limited cell division and survive for 1-2 weeks in culture before being overgrown by fibroblasts. The fibroblastic cells could be selectively removed from the cultures but the addition of 100 microgram/ml cis-hydroxyproline to the medium for several days. The specific activities of three membrane-bound enzymes, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, and leucine aminopeptidase were compared in selective cultures of polygonal cells and fibroblasts. Polygonal cells were found to have 4-5 times the gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase of fibroblasts, whereas fibroblasts have 2-3 times the alkaline phosphatase of polygonal cells. Leucine aminopeptidase levels in the two cultures were roughly equivalent. The polygonal cells rapidly lost gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity over a 4-day period in culture but acquired increased levels of leucine aminopeptidase. Alkaline phosphatase remained roughly constant. Under similar conditions fibroblasts showed a 3- to 4-fold increase in the specific activities of all three enzymes; these changes coincided with a substantial increase in cell density. Based on morphology, resistance to cis-hydroxyproline, absence of antihemophilic factor antigen, and enzymatic characteristics, we believe the polygonal cells to be of epithelial origin.
Fostering Collaboration and Linkages with Our Latin American and Caribbean Neighbors

The title of my Presidential Address to the 2009 annual meeting of the Florida Entomological Society (FES) was carefully chosen because one of my goals as President of the Society was to amplify our presence in the region, specifically Latin America and the Caribbean. The society has always maintained fairly good connections with Latin American and Caribbean countries. In fact, we have had 4 meetings in the region within the last 15 years (Table 1). In 2004, we attempted to arrange a meeting off-shore and ended up meeting in Fort Lauderdale, which was referred to as our 5th Caribbean meeting. And, in 2008 we again attempted to arrange a joint meeting with the Colombian Entomological Society. But, due to cost and other logistic problems we ended up sending a delegation of FES professionals comprised of students, faculty and USDA scientists to Cartagena, Colombia where their annual meeting was held. The FES society has maintained a mandate in its by-laws to institute a meeting in the Caribbean once every 5 years and to foster good relations with organizations in the region. The publication of the Spanish abstract in Florida Entomologist that was initiated in 1981, and the placement of An International Journal for the Americas on the cover of the journal were designed to increase readership in Latin America and the Caribbean. Immediately after becoming President of the society in 2008, I immediately initiated protocols with the goal of having the 2010 or 2011 annual FES meeting at some location in the Caribbean. I revived and reestablished the Long-range and Caribbean sub-committees and asked Drs. Howard Frank and Stephen Lapointe, respectively, to chair these sub-committees. Both subcommittees worked together to conduct an informal survey of potential meeting sites for the 2010 or 2011 FES meeting and agreed on the Dominican Republic as a possible site. The decision was based on the fact that there was local interest, inexpensive hotel rates, and direct flights from Florida to the Dominican Republic. In addition, there was potential for FES amateurs and professionals to do some insect collecting on the island. However, there were some disadvantages with the Dominican Republic site including finding an appropriate hotel with sufficient space to hold an entire FES meeting, language barriers (Spanish versus English), and different ways of doing business. For instance, when meetings are held within the state of Florida, the FES business manager negotiates a contract with the hotel that contains all of the details of the meeting 6 months to a year prior to the meeting. This is not possible in the Dominican Republic because some hotels are reluctant to negotiate contracts 1 year prior to the meeting. Some of the FES members may question the reasons to foster ties and build relationships with Latin American and Caribbean countries. There are several reasons for this, as follows:
Shifting bone marrow edema of the knee.

Objective. The purpose of our study is to describe shifting bone marrow edema in the knee as the MR imaging feature of intra-articular regional migratory osteoporosis of the knee.
THE TRANSPLANTATION OF SPLENIC TISSUE INTO THE SUBCUTANEOUS FASCIA OF THE ABDOMEN IN RABBITS

We have not found in the literature a report of an instance of permanent homoio or autotransplantation of the spleen, or of the probably closely related spleno and hemolymph glands. Spleen autotransplants with considerable difficulty as compared with thyroid, parathyroid, ovary, or adrenal cortex. This may be due to its complex anatomical structure. An instance of a permanent autotransplant has been observed. None of our attempts to homoiotransplant it were successful beyond the usual taking and persistence for 2 or 3 weeks, common to all homoiografts. The successful permanent subcutaneous autotransplantation had all the morphological characteristics of a fully differentiated and functionally active spleen. This method of transplantation would seem to offer a means of learning more of the normal development, regeneration, and function of this complex tissue.
PERSONAL MEANINGS OF DEATH IN RELATION TO FEAR OF DEATH

This study assessed death meanings and death fears held by 2age groups of adults, related the death meanings to fear of death, and determined whether death meanings and fear of death depended on age and gender. Study participants were 265 college students (aged 19 to 55). Factor analysis of participant responses to 30 death meaning items identified 3dimensions of death meanings: Extinction, Afterlife, and Legacy. Hierarchical regression analyses determined the combined effect of the 3 death - meaning dimensions on each of 8 Leming Fear of Death Scale (LFDS) subscales, after effects of gender and age group were accounted for. Younger respondents and women had greater fear of death on certain subscales. Extinction was a significant predictor (p. 05) of 7 LFDS subscores, Afterlife predicted 4 subscores, and legacy predicted 2subscores.
Monte Carlo efficiency calibration of a neutron generator-based total-body irradiator

Many body composition measurement systems are calibrated against a single-sized reference phantom. Prompt-gamma neutron activation (PGNA) provides the only direct measure of total body nitrogen (TBN), an index of the body’s lean tissue mass. In PGNA systems, body size influences neutron flux attenuation, induced gamma signal distribution, and counting efficiency. Thus, calibration based on a single-sized phantom could result in inaccurate TBN values. We used Monte Carlo simulations (MCNP-5; Los Alamos National Laboratory) in order to map a system’s response to the range of body weights (65–160 kg) and body fat distributions (25–60%) in obese humans. Calibration curves were constructed to derive body-size correction factors relative to a standard reference phantom, providing customized adjustments to account for differences in body habitus of obese adults. The use of MCNP-generated calibration curves should allow for a better estimate of the true changes in lean tissue mass that many occur during intervention programs focused only on weight loss.
Toward a Remote Sensing Solution for Regional Sustainability Assessment and Monitoring

Regional sustainability encourages a re-examination of development programs in the context of environmental, social and economic policies and practices. However, sustainability remains a broadly defined concept that has been applied to mean everything from environmental protection, social cohesion, economic growth, neighborhood design, alternative energy, and green building design. To guide sustainability initiatives and assess progress toward more sustainable development patterns, a need exists to place this concept into a functional decision-centric context where change can be evaluated and the exploitation of resources better understood. Accepting the premise that sustainable development defines a set of conditions and trends in a given system that can continue indefinitely without contributing to environmental degradation, answers to four critical questions that direct sustainability over the long-term must be addressed: (1) What is the present state of the environmental system, (2) Is that pattern sustainable, (3) Are there indications that the environmental system is degrading, and (4) Can that information be incorporated into policy decisions to guide the future? Answers to these questions hinge on the development of tractable indices that can be employed to support the long-term monitoring required to assess sustainability goals and a means to measure those indices. In this paper, a solution based on the application of remote sensing technology is introduced focused on the development of land use intensity indices derived from earth-observation satellite data. Placed into a monitoring design, this approach is evaluated in a change detection role at the watershed scale.
Incest revisited: A Mexican Catholic priest and his daughter

This article offers a feminist sociological analysis of Otilia’s incestuous relationship with her father—a Catholic priest. This case study is one in a series of Mexican women’s narratives of incestuous relationships that reveal the sexual objectification of girls and women within the context of the family and its roots in a colonial history shaped by race, class, and gender inequalities. In this case study I also explore the complex origins of double standards of sexual morality within the Catholic Church: the Church desexualizes priests by insisting on celibacy, but perpetrators of incest, who are also priests, may benefit from the historical construction of the family that positions children as vulnerable, dehumanized, and objectified servants of the father.
Does neurovascular bundle preservation at the time of radical prostatectomy improve urinary continence

Does neurovascular bundle preservation at the time of radical prostatectomy improve urinary continence?
Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry assay for human serum testosterone and trideuterated testosterone

A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay for serum testosterone (T) and trideuterated testosterone (d(3)T) was developed in order to support clinical research studies that determine the pharmacokinetics, production rate, and clearance of testosterone by administration of trideuterated testosterone. After adding 19-nortestosterone as the internal standard (I.S.), sodium acetate buffer, and ether, to a serum aliquot, the mixture was shaken and centrifuged, and the ether was dried. The extract was reconstituted in methanol and 15 microl was injected into a liquid chromatograph equipped with an autosampler and Applied Biosystems-Sciex API 300 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer operated in the positive ion mode. T, d(3)T, and I.S. were monitored with transitions m/z 289 to m/z 97, m/z 292 to m/z 97, and m/z 275 to m/z 109, respectively. The two calibration curves were linear over the entire measurement range of 0-20 ng/ml for T and 0-2.0 ng/ml for d(3)T. The LOQs for T and d(3)T were 0.5 ng/ml and 0.05 ng/ml. The recoveries for T and d(3)T were 91.5 and 96.4%. For T at 1.25 ng/ml and 4.0 ng/ml, the intra-day precision (RSD, %) was 3.9 and 4.3% and intra-day accuracy 0.01 and 4.5%, respectively. The inter-day precision at these levels was 5.3 and 5.4% and inter-day accuracy was 1.9 and 0.3%. For d(3)T at 0.125 ng/ml and 0.4 ng/ml, the intra-day precision (RSD, %) was 2.8 and 8.3% and intra-day accuracy was 1.8 and 5.6%. The inter-day precision at these levels was 10.0 and 7.6% and inter-day accuracy was 5.7 and 3.4%. The concentrations of T in the 38 healthy subjects ranged from 2.5 to 14.0 ng/ml (mean 6.2 ng/ml).
Noncausal propagation of classical Rarita--Schwinger waves

The Rarita-Schwinger field coupled to scalar and Dirac fields is considered at the classical level. It is shown that the fermion fields satisfy a system of hyperbolic equations supplemented by initial conditions whose solutions propagate faster than light, thereby violating causality.
Case Report: Nonsecretory Multiple Myeloma with Osteoporosis: Immunocytologic and Bone Resorptive Studies

ABSTRACT Two patients, ultimately found to have advanced non-secretory multiple myeloma, presented with skeletal pain, diffuse skeletal demineralization, and fractures. The correct diagnosis was initially obscured by the absence of typical hematologic findings and discrete lytic bone lesions. Bone marrow examination was diagnostic. Intracytoplasmic IgA or IgD kappa was demonstrated in the myeloma cells of each case. Decreased quantitative polyclonal serum immunoglobulins and hypercalcemia were important clinical clues. The demonstration of increased osteoclast activating factor (OAF) derived from the cultured myeloma cells from each case suggests that the secretion of OAF and immunoglobulin are unrelated.
Advanced Materials and Structures: Analysis Methods and Results

Advanced and innovative materials are used increasingly in civil and aerospace engineering. To meet the demands of advanced materials in structural applications, novel analytical and experimental techniques have been developed to simulate and characterize the material responses and structural behaviors. To this end, this special issue of the Journal of Aerospace Engineering aims to present a collection of invited papers concerning the analytical and experimental techniques for advanced and emerging materials and structures in civil and aerospace engineering. The papers selected for this issue are primarily based on the presentations delivered in the three “Advanced Materials in Structures” sessions organized by the ASCE Aerospace Division’s Committee on Advanced Materials and Structures at the 44th AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ACS Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials (SDM) Conference, Norfolk, Va., April 7–10, 2003. Seven papers based on the presentations have been peer reviewed and are included in this special issue. Among them, a wide range of analytical and experimental techniques are covered, ranging from constitutive modeling, to advanced numerical simulation, and to novel experimental characterization of composite materials and novel structural systems. The papers address critical issues in the rapidly growing fields of civil/aerospace materials and structures, including application of advanced materials (e.g., braided composites and coating materials), novel structures (e.g., sinusoidal core configuration and z-pin reinforcement), advanced experimental methods (e.g., ballistic impact tests), as well as analytical/numerical techniques (e.g., the nonlinear, strain ratedependent constitutive models and linear time-dependent acoustic wave propagation) in support of test methods and applications. In most papers, a balanced approach of analytical, numerical, and experimental correlations is adopted, and their advancement to the state of the art in advanced materials and structures is illustrated. In “Ballistic Impact of Braided Composites with a Soft Projectile,” Roberts et al. experimentally investigate the impact behaviors of aluminum plates, braided composite plates, and braided composite half-rings subjected to a soft gelatin projectile. The failure modes are identified, and an estimate of the penetration threshold is provided, which is useful for damage-tolerance evaluation of aerospace components (i.e., fan cases in commercial jet engines) under impact of high-strain energy density. Ivancic and Palazotto’s “Experimental Considerations for Determining the Damping Coefficients of Hard Coatings” characterizes the dynamic behavior of a titanium plate coated with magnesium aluminate spinel, representing a turbine compressor blade. Various experimental tests using dynamic ping and laser vibrom-