cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endothelin receptor antagonists

Hormone refractory prostate cancer remains true to its middle name: it is largely refractory to attempts to delay its progression. New targets and new therapies are demanded. Through a review of the available literature on endothelin and several preclinical observations, the endothelin axis has emerged as one such target. In phase II and III clinical trials of atrasentan, a potent and selective endothelin receptor A subtype (ETA) antagonist, disease progression was delayed in some men. This well tolerated, oral agent may help convert advanced prostate cancer to a more chronic disease. This review will discuss the endothelin axis, preclinical rationale and some of the available clinical trial data on this promising new approach.
Tetrahydrobiopterin biosynthesis defects examined in cytokine-stimulated fibroblasts

Incubation of primary skin fibroblast cultures with the cytokines interferon-γ and tumour necrosis factor-α stimulates thede novo pathway of tetrahydrobiopterin biosynthesis. Fibroblasts from patients with the two most common types of genetic defects of tetrahydrobiopterin metabolism that cause hyperphenylalaninaemia show characteristic pterin responses predicted by the nature of the defect. Cells from a child with 6-pyruvoyl-tetrahydropterin synthase deficiency produce higher than normal levels of neopterin and no biopterin. Fibroblasts from dihydropteridine reductase-deficient children produce normal levels of tetrahydrobiopterin, which gradually becomes partially oxidized, and higher than normal levels of neopterin. As a model for cells with the rarest form of tetrahydrobiopterin deficiency, lack of GTP cyclohydrolase activity, normal fibroblasts were treated with 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine to inhibit GTP cyclohydrolase activity by >90%, the level expected in patients with a GTP cyclohydrolase deficiency. Neopterin and biopterin synthesis rates of <10% of normal levels were readily detectable. Therefore, analysis of the patterns of the pterins synthesized by fibroblasts can aid in the diagnosis of the hyperphenylalaninaemias caused by disorders of tetrahydrobiopterin metabolism.
Analysis of Winter and Summer Glacier Mass Balances

Seasonal mass balance components b w (winter balance) and b s (summer balance) as well as c t (total accumulation) and a t (total ablation), can be used directly to infer climate variables. In contrast, a c (net balance of the accumulation area) and a a (net balance of the ablation area), and b a or b a (annual or net balance) can not. The traditional Alpine system of observations of a c and a a , however, can be converted to true seasonal values b w and b s if both pairs of components are simultaneously observed for some years, because a correlation between the two pairs of components exists. We analyzed b w and b s data and their mean, standard deviations and ratios of these to the corresponding net or annual balances for 50 glaciers with relatively long records representing different regions in the northern hemisphere. We also investigated correlations between seasonal components. A negative correlation between b w and b s exists at many glaciers. About two-thirds of the glaciers show insignificant correlations (-0.3<r<0.3), implying independence of summer and winter balances. In a few unusual cases the correlations are positive. These different correlations, or lack thereof, may offer insight into feedback conditions that must exist in this climate-related system. The correspondence of the b w and c t and b s and a 1 , appears to depend largely on the relative amounts of summer snowfall, a function of their climatic environment expressed as a [α=(b w + b s )/2]. The contribution of variability of b s to the net balance increases markedly with decreasing values of α. The variability of b w and b s , and therefore the net balance, has been increasing with time; whether this is due to an increase in climate variability or to other causes is not clear. It appears that b w has been increasing with time at the highest altitudes, but b s has been increasing more rapidly especially at low altitudes; the many-glacier average net balance is becoming more negative.
Research Note: US Census Same-Sex Couple Data: Adjustments to Reduce Measurement Error and Empirical Implications

US Census same-sex couple data represent one of the richest and most frequently used data resources for studying the LGBT population. Recently, the Census Bureau conducted an analysis of a serious measurement problem in these data, finding that as many as 40 % of same-sex couples tabulated in Census 2000 and 28 % of those tabulated in Census 2010 were likely misclassified different-sex couples (O’Connell and Feliz, Bureau of the Census, 2011). As a result, the Census Bureau released new state-level “preferred” estimates for the number of same-sex couples in these years, as well as previously unavailable information regarding the error rate of sex misclassification among different-sex married and unmarried couples by state and year. Researchers can use this information to adjust same-sex couple tabulations for geographic areas below the state level. Using these resources, this study: (1) considers in greater detail how the properties of the same-sex couple error might affect statistical inference, (2) offers a method for developing sub-state estimates of same-sex couples, and (3) demonstrates how using adjusted estimates can improve inference in analyses that rely on understanding the distribution of same-sex couples. In order to accomplish the third task, we replicate an analysis by McVeigh and Diaz (American Sociological Review 74: 891–915, 2009) that used county level Census 2000 unadjusted same-sex couple data, substitute our adjusted same-sex couple estimate, and examine the way in which this substitution affects findings. Our results demonstrate the improved accuracy of the adjusted measure and provide the formula that researchers can use to adjust the same-sex couple distribution in future analyses.
Design of Sterically Demanding, Electron-Rich Carbene Ligands with the Perimidine Scaffold

A family of N,N‘-disubstituted perimidinium cation salts were employed as precursors to persistent monomeric carbenes with novel molecular architectures and electronic structures. Depending on the substituents, reaction of these 1,3-disubstituted perimidinium cations with LiN(SiMe3)2 led either to deprotonation and generation of new carbenes or to enetetramines. In addition to spectroscopic characterization, crystallographic analysis of C10H6(iPrN)2C (10), C10H6(iPrN)(Me3CCH2N)C (11), {C10H6[N(3,5-Me2C6H3)]2C}2 (13), and C10H6(iPrN)(3,5-Me2C6H3N)C (14) definitively confirmed the nature of these species. The mixed benzyl/cycloheptyl-substituted carbene C10H6(cyclo-C7H13N)(p-MeC6H4CH2N)C (17) was observed to undergo dimerization upon heating to yield both cis and trans isomers of the enetetramine {C10H6(cyclo-C7H13N)(p-MeC6H4CH2N)C}2, (17)2. Rhodium complexes of these perimidine-based carbenes were accessed via reactions with either monomeric carbene or enetetramine. Spectroscopic and crystallographic analy...
New thinking on the financial crisis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to expand understanding of the current global financial crisis in light of other large‐scale financial crises.Design/methodology/approach – The phenomenon of large‐scale financial crisis has not been modeled well by neo‐classical general equilibrium approaches; the paper explores whether evolutionary and complex systems approaches might be more useful. Previous empirical work and current data are coalesced to identify fundamental drivers of the boom and bust phases of the current crisis.Findings – Many features of financial crisis occur naturally in evolutionary and complex systems. The boom phase leading to this current crisis (early 1980s through 2006) and bust phase (2007‐) are associated with structural changes in institutions, technologies, monetary processes, i.e. changing “meso structures”. Increasingly, purely financial constructs and processes are dominant infrastructures within the global economy.Research limitations/implications – Rigorous analytical predi...
Polymer−Solvent Vapor−Liquid Equilibrium: Equations of State versus Activity Coefficient Models

A Soave−Redlich−Kwong (SRK) cubic equation of state (EOS) combined with the Flory−Huggins activity coefficient (Gex) model in a Huron−Vidal type (EOS + Gex) mixing rule was used to correlate binary vapor−liquid equilibrium (VLE) of polymer−solvent mixtures. To extend the SRK EOS to pure polymers, suitable critical constants were selected based on available information for long-chain hydrocarbons. In mixture applications, the only binary interaction parameter, χ of the Flory−Huggins model, was obtained from the infinite-dilution activity coefficient data of solvent in polymer, without using any experimental VLE information. The results show that this EOS + Gex approach can represent polymer−solvent VLE accurately. It was also observed that χ is much less temperature- and composition-dependent when the Flory−Huggins model is coupled with the SRK EOS than it is when used directly as an activity coefficient model.
The Potential Impact of Labor Choices on the Efficacy of Marine Conservation Strategies

Conservation of marine resources is critical to the wellbeing of human communities. Coastal artisanal fishing communities are particularly reliant on marine resources for food and for their livelihoods. Management actions aimed at marine conservation may lead to unanticipated changes in human behavior that influence the ability of conservation programs to achieve their goals. We examine how marine conservation strategies may impact labor decisions that influence both the ecosystem and human livelihoods using simulation modeling. We consider two conservation strategies in the model: direct action through fisheries regulation enforcement, and indirect action through land conservation. Our results indicate that both strategies can increase the abundance of fish, and thus contribute to the maintenance of marine resources. However, our results also show that marine fisheries enforcement may negatively impact the livelihoods of human communities. Land conservation, on the other hand, potentially enhances the livelihood of the human populations. Thus, depending on management objectives, indirect or a combination of direct and indirect conservation strategies may be effective at achieving conservation and sustainability goals. These results highlight the importance of accounting for changes in human behavior resulting from management actions in conservation and management.
Mitochondrial proteomic analysis reveals deficiencies in oxygen utilization in medullary thick ascending limb of Henle in the Dahl salt-sensitive rat.

The renal medullary thick ascending limb (mTAL) of the Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) rat is the site of enhanced NaCl reabsorption and excess superoxide production. In the present studies we isolated mitochondria from mTAL of SS and salt-resistant control strain SS.13BN rats on 0.4 and 8% salt diet for 7 days and performed a proteomic analysis. Purity of mTAL and mitochondria isolations exceeded 93.6 and 55%, respectively. Using LC/MS spectral analysis techniques we identified 96 mitochondrial proteins in four biological mTAL mitochondria samples, run in duplicate, as defined by proteins with a false discovery rate <5% and scan count ≥2. Seven of these 96 proteins, including IDH2, ACADM, SCOT, Hsp60, ATPA, EFTu, and VDAC2 were differentially expressed between the two rat strains. Oxygen consumption and high-resolution respirometry analyses showed that mTAL cells and the mitochondria in the outer medulla of SS rats fed high-salt diet exhibited lower rates of oxygen utilization compared with those from SS.13BN rats. These studies advance the conventional proteomic paradigm of focusing exclusively upon whole tissue homogenates to a focus upon a single cell type and specific subcellular organelle. The results reveal the importance of a largely unexplored role for deficiencies of mTAL mitochondrial metabolism and oxygen utilization in salt-induced hypertension and renal medullary oxidative stress.
CYCLIC J-INTEGRAL IN RELATION TO FATIGUE CRACK INITIATION AND PROPAGATION

Abstract Fatigue crack initiation (threshold) and propagation are associated with an appreciable sensitivity to one basic factor, among others (environment, microstructure, frequency, temperature etc.), namely load ratio R . The crack closure concept has frequently been hypothesized as a possible explanation for this. Nevertheless, existing experimental results with respect to crack closure are somewhat conflicting due to significant variabilities of such factors as specimen geometries and stress intensity factor ranges. This paper intends to describe the R- dependent fatigue threshold as well as fatigue crack growth from a different point of view, i.e. from the global energy equivalence concept. The generalized driving force attached to a fatigue crack tip is in the first instance re-examined with the introduction of a new cyclic J-integral. The original definition of a cyclic J-integral is shown to be inadequate as it fails to account for the total energy flux into the crack tip region from external loading mechanisms. Under small scale yielding conditions, the newly defined cyclic J-integral is equivalent to the range of elastic energy release rate, ΔG , for a linear elastic crack independent of loading processes. It is proposed to use ΔJ as an appropriate criterion for fatigue crack growth so long as the crack does not extend during the unloading portion of one load reversal. ΔJ as such is also interpreted as the source supplier for the energy flow rate dissipated on crack tip cyclic plastic deformations. It is then assumed that, under fixed test conditions, the minimum specific work of fracture required for fatigue crack initiation, ΔJ th , is a material property independent of the load ratio R . The so-predicted values of fatigue threshold, ΔK th , are correlated favorably with experimental measurements. For fatigue crack growth (FCG), a unified formulation is capable of being derived from the thermodynamic theory of irreversible processes, if the cracked surface area is taken as an internal variable and the rate of energy dissipated on FCG depends on ΔJ only. The applicability of the formulation for producing a master FCG diagram is examined for both metals and non-metals, including steel, aluminum alloys, PMMA and PVC, etc.
Quasi-symmetry structure of CCl4 molecular assemblies in a graphitic nanopore : A Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulation

The assembly structure of Lennard-Jones model CCl4 molecules confined in a slit-shaped graphitic micropore of slit width (w) of 0.8, 1.0, and 1.3 nm at 303 K was studied by Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulation. The radial distribution functions (RDFs) for CCl4 molecules in pores having different widths were analyzed using snapshots of the molecular assemblies. The assembly of spherical molecules had a symmetrical packing structure that depended on the pore width. The coordination number and the intermolecular distance of each quasi-symmetrical structure were geometrically determined, and the RDF structure was assigned to each symmetrical structure. As we assumed a perfect symmetry on geometrical calculation, this approach was named “quasi-symmetry analysis”. In the micropore system of w = 0.8 nm, adsorbed molecules form a rippled single layer having disordered close packed hexagonal structure. Though the molecules adsorbed in the micropore of w = 1.3 nm formed a bilayer structure, the RDF was similar to...
Reaction of the arterial intima of the rabbit to trauma and hyperlipemia.

Abstract The effect of trauma to the aortic intima of the rabbit and the combination of trauma and hyperlipemia were studied with the electron microscope. It was found that the cells engaged in the repair processes and eventually forming intimal plaques were apparently derived from smooth muscle. Hyperlipemia led to the accumulation of foam cells in these plaques. During the experimental period such foam cells were confined almost entirely to the luminal surfaces of the plaques. Reasons are advanced for considering that many of these foam cells are derived from blood borne cells.
Flagellar development and regeneration in Volvox carteri (Chlorophyta)

The biflagellate somatic cells of Volvox carteri f. nagariensis lyengar exhibit an asymmetric pattern of flagellar development. Initiallt each somatic cell has two short (4 μm) flagella but after several hours one flagellum on each cell elongates unitl it reaches a length of 12 μm. Due to the regular arrangement of somatic cells in the Volvox spheroid it is apparent that the same flagellum on each somatic is the first to elongale. The asymmetric flagellar length is maintained for about 8 h after which the second flagellum on each somatic cell elongates. When the second flagellum attains the same length (12 μm) as the first flagellum, both flagella elongale at the same rate until reaching a final length of 22 μm. Experimental removal of somatic cell flagella results in their regeneration. Somatis cells regenerate both flagella simultaneously and full length flagella are produced in about 2 h. The intial rate of flagellar regeneration is about ten times faster than the intial rate of flagllar growth in development. Cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, has no effect on the initial rate of flagellar regeneration but the flagella produced in the presence of the drug are half the length of flagella produced in its absence. Somatic cells are able to regenerate flagella up to the time of α and β tubulin, the major structural proteins of the flagellar axoneme, and other cellular proteins.
Demographic concepts and research pertaining to the study of wild primate populations

Demography is the study of individuals as members of a population. The dynamics of a population are determined by collectively analyzing individual schedules of survival, growth, and reproduction. Together, these schedules are known as the vital rates of the population. The vital rates, along with dispersal, contribute to population structure, which refers to how the population is organized by age, sex, density, and social groups. I briefly review the history of anthropological demography as it pertains to wild primates and then I discuss basic demographic concepts and approaches for studying wild primate populations. I then turn to demographic studies of wild primate demography. Primates are generally characterized by high adult survival probabilities relative to survival at other age/stage classes and most primate populations have population growth rates near equilibrium. Changes in adult survival have the greatest impact on population growth rate (i.e., fitness) relative to other demographic traits such as juvenile/yearling survival or age at first reproduction. I discuss how these demographic patterns, and others, connect to topics and issues in behavioral ecology, life history theory, population genetics, and conservation biology. These connections help reaffirm the fact that the vital rates are both targets and agents of evolutionary change. In this regard, demographic studies of wild primates provide a critical link between the proximate socioecological processes that operate in a species and the long-term phylogenetic patterns that characterize a species.
Deposition and Emission of Gaseous Mercury to and from Lake Michigan during the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study (July, 1994−October, 1995)

This paper presents measurements of dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) concentrations in Lake Michigan and the application of a mechanistic approach to estimate deposition and emission fluxes of gaseous mercury (Hg2+ and Hg0) to and from Lake Michigan. Measurements of DGM concentrations made during May and July, 1994 and January, 1995 indicate that Lake Michigan was supersaturated with DGM suggesting that transfer of Hg0 occurs from the water to the atmosphere. Over-water concentrations of gaseous Hg2+ were estimated from total gaseous Hg (TGM) concentrations measured at five sites in the basin and used to model dry deposition fluxes of Hg2+. The modeling approach combines estimates of dry deposited Hg2+ with known photochemical and biotic reduction rates to form Hg0, which is available for re-emission. The model accounts for temporal and spatial variations in the deposition velocity of gaseous Hg2+ and the transfer velocity of Hg0 using high temporal and spatial resolution meteorological data. The modeled D...
A Spatio-Temporal Modeling Method for Shape Representation

The spherical harmonic (SPHARM) description is a powerful surface modeling technique that can model arbitrarily shaped but simply connected three dimensional (3D) objects. Because SPHARM based 3D models can derive functional information analysis and classify different pathological symptoms, it has been used in many applications in biomedical image computing. There is an urgent requirement for efficient spatio-temporal shape modeling to represent the dynamic anatomical structures in many applications (e.g., medical image analysis, geospatial information systems). In this paper we propose a novel real spherical harmonics based spatio-temporal shape modeling method to efficiently and flexibly represent the shapes sequence of anatomical structures in medical images. Our method works well on the simply connected 3D objects and the effectiveness of our approach is demonstrated through theoretic and experimental exploration of a set of medical image applications. Furthermore, an evaluation criterion for spatio-temporal shape modeling efficiency is proposed and the comparison results showed the good performance of our method.
Impact of an Outbreak of Dengue Fever: A Case Study from Rural Puerto Rico

This study documents the impact of an outbreak of dengue fever for the people who experienced the disease in Lares, a rural municipality in Puerto Rico. Symptomatology presented by reported cases of the fever corresponds to the clinical picture of the mild form of the dengue virus. The study utilizes a combined quantitative/qualitative methodological approach. The findings indicate that social status is a significant factor in terms of who is affected by the dengue fever. The impact of the outbreak was greater for poor communities in the urban and semi-rural areas, particularly for women who described themselves as housewives and mothers, and their children. Social expectations and the family's demands for these women to fulfill the role of caretaker superseded their own sick role. In addition, they experienced the greatest loss of time as a consequence of the outbreak. The main effect of the outbreak on work activities not traditionally remunerated with money, such as housework, was the inability of adul...
Vapor Pressure of Acetophenone, (±)-1,2-Butanediol, (±)-1,3-Butanediol, Diethylene Glycol Monopropyl Ether, 1,3-Dimethyladamantane, 2-Ethoxyethyl Acetate, Ethyl Octyl Sulfide, and Pentyl Acetate

This paper reports measurements made within the DIPPR‡ Project 821 for the 1992 Project Year. Vapor pressures were measured to a pressure limit of 270 kPa or lower decomposition point for eight compounds using an inclined-piston and twin ebulliometric apparatus. Liquid-phase densities along the saturation line were measured for each compound over a range of temperature (ambient to a maximum of 548 K). A differential scanning calorimeter (dsc) was used to measure two-phase (liquid + vapor) heat capacities for each compound in the temperature region ambient to the critical temperature or lower decomposition point. Where possible, the critical temperature and critical density for each compound were determined experimentally. The results of the measurements were combined to derive a series of thermophysical properties including critical temperature, critical density, critical pressure, acentric factor, enthalpies of vaporization [restricted to within ±50 K of the temperature region of the experimentally deter...
Aneurysmal bone cyst involving the hand: A review and report of two cases

Two cases of aneurysmal bone cyst occurred in the hand. One involved the distal phalanx and followed a crushing injury to the tip of the finger; amputation of the part resulted in cure. The other involved almost all of the first metacarpal and was resected and replaced by an iliac bone graft. The appearance of an aneurysmal bone cyst in roentgenograms and after angiography usually is not diagnostic, although benign, progressive growth and potential for recurrence require complete removal.
An improved technique for the preparation and scanning of thin-layer chromatograms.

THIN-LAYER chromatography offers many advantages over paper chromatography for the separation of biological compounds. While thin-layer chromatogram procedures are rapid and efficient, separations on glass plates do not allow scanning of the chromatograms on present equipment. Further, recommended methods for the removal of the thin layers from glass plates require additional work and are not satisfactory as spots may be distorted, backgrounds discoloured, and parts of the silica-gel layer lost due to adherence to the plate.
Responsibilities associated with obstetric sonography.

Sonography will be routine for all pregnancies. The American College of Radiology (ACR) Guidelines for the Antepartum Obstetrical Ultrasound Examination [2] have been adopted by many as their own personal standard, and as such, have rapidly become the standard of care. Originally conceived in 1985, the guidelines came from the ACR's Commission on Ultrasound. The stimulus was the perception that many different types and qualities of sonographic examinations were being performed on pregnant patients. This resulted in confusion on the part of both the patient and third-party carriers. Quality assurance
PUMA is directly activated by NF-κB and contributes to TNF-α-induced apoptosis

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a cytokine that has an important role in immunity and inflammation by inducing cellular responses such as apoptosis. The transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) can paradoxically suppress and promote apoptosis in response to TNF-α. In this study, we found that p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA), a p53 downstream target and a BH3-only Bcl-2 family member, is directly regulated by NF-κB in response to TNF-α. TNF-α treatment led to increases in PUMA mRNA and protein levels in human colon cancer cells. The induction of PUMA was p53 independent, and mediated by the p65 component of NF-κB through a κB site in the PUMA promoter. The apoptotic effect of PUMA induction by TNF-α was unmasked by depleting the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-XL. In mice, PUMA was also induced by TNF-α in an NF-κB-dependent manner. TNF-α-induced apoptosis in a variety of tissues and cell types, including small intestinal epithelial cells, hepatocytes, and thymocytes, was markedly reduced in PUMA-deficient mice. Collectively, these results demonstrated that PUMA is a direct target of NF-κB and mediates TNF-α-induced apoptosis in vitro and in vivo.
Commentary on multivariable parametric cost model for ground optical telescope assembly

In 2005, Stahl et al. published a multivariable parametric cost model for ground telescopes that included primary mirror diameter, diffraction-limited wavelength, and year of development. The model also included a factor for primary mirror segmentation and/or duplication. While the original multivariable model is still relevant, we better explain the rationale behind the model and present a model framework that may better account for prescription similarities. Also, we correct the single-variable diameter model presented in the 2005 Stahl paper with the addition of a leading multiplier.
[Comment on “Vetting of Conference Proceedings papers: Too much of a good thing?”] Review papers: Proceedings vs. journals

I fully support Stan Cowley's letter in the Forum (Eos, October 21, 1986, p. 803) concerning refereeing standards for conference proceedings. Stan's most important point, in my opinion, should be repeated several times over to all space physicists: “Proceedings are simply not accessible to the same degree as are journals.” I further believe that conference proceedings have wrongly usurped the role of review journals in space physics. The number of space physics papers that have appeared in our AGU review journal in both 1985 and in 1986 is of order unity; in contrast, I count about 30 space physics review or tutorial papers in two Chapman Conference Proceedings from 1985 alone. Perhaps this is appropriate, since “Space Physics” was dropped from the title of this AGU journal 2 years ago. Nevertheless, this decline in journal-published space science review papers will make life more difficult for future generations of researchers in our field who wish to utilize review papers from this epoch. They, as many of our contemporaries who do not have copies of the appropriate proceedings on their bookshelves, will find that libraries typically have less complete collections of conference proceedings than refereed journals. They will also discover that conference proceedings often circulate, whereas refereed journals usually do not, with the result that they will be much less likely to find the paper they seek if it has been published in a conference proceedings. In other words, as the highly respected Stanley Cowley has said: “Proceedings are simply not accessible to the same degree as are journals.”
Simultaneous determination of 32 antibiotics in aquaculture products using LC-MS/MS

An analytical multiclass, multi-residue method for the determination of antibiotics in aquaculture products was developed and validated. A fast, cheap, and straightforward extraction procedure followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis was proposed. This method covers 32 antibiotics of different classes, which are frequently used in aquaculture. Three different extraction procedures were compared, and the extraction with acetonitrile (0.1 vol. % formic acid) showed the best results. The selected extraction procedure was validated at four different fortification levels (10 μg kg−1, 25 μg kg−1, 50 μg kg−1, and 100 μg kg−1). Recoveries of the tested antibiotics ranged from 70 % to 120 %, with the relative standard deviation (RSD) of triplicates lower than 20 %. The limits of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.062 μg kg−1 to 4.6 μg kg−1, allowing for the analysis of trace levels of these antibiotics in aquaculture products. The method was applied to the analysis of selected antibiotics in fish and shrimp meat available in the Czech market.
A legal cross-references taxonomy for identifying conflicting software requirements

Companies must ensure their software complies with relevant laws and regulations to avoid the risk of costly penalties, lost reputation, and brand damage resulting from noncompliance. Laws and regulations contain internal cross-references to portions of the same legal text, as well as cross-references to external legal texts. These cross-references introduce ambiguities, exceptions, as well as other challenges to regulatory compliance. Requirements engineers need guidance as to how to address cross-references in order to comply with the requirements of the law. Herein, we analyze each external cross-reference within the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule to determine whether a cross-reference either: introduces a conflicting requirement, a conflicting definition, and/or refines an existing requirement. Herein, we propose a legal cross-reference taxonomy to aid requirements engineers in classifying cross-references as they specify compliance requirements. Analyzing cross-references enables us to address conflicting requirements that may otherwise thwart legal compliance. We identify five sets of conflicting compliance requirements and recommend strategies for resolving these conflicts.
Is a monkey malaria from Borneo an emerging human disease

In 2004, a team of researchers from Malaysia surprised the medical community by reporting that a significant number of people on the island of Borneo were becoming infected with a malaria parasite of monkeys, Plasmodium knowlesi [1]. The world was still unaware of the extent of the problem until 2008 when the same research group gave us a clear view of the gravity of the situation [2]. They found that P. knowlesi infections accounted for 71% of the cases of malaria in one regional hospital. Of even more concern, the team has shown that this form of malaria is potentially life threatening. The medical community is now asking whether P. knowlesi is a ‘fifth human malaria’ with the potential to spread to other parts of Southeast Asia and beyond. Many species of malaria parasite that naturally infect monkeys will also develop in humans. As early as the 1930s, human infections by monkey malarias were studied under controlled conditions in a number of laboratories, including extensive studies carried out in the USA and Romania. These studies showed that although the infections were not initially life threatening, they became increasingly virulent when cycled through humans in the absence of an intermediate passage through mosquitoes [William C, Pers. Comm] [3]. The virulence associated with the Malaysian infections raises the possibility that a new and more virulent strain of P. knowlesi is involved as well as the possibility that, in the cases of more virulent infection, some means of parasite transmission other than that initiated by the bite of an infected mosquito is playing a role. First reported in the Lancet in 2004, Singh and collaborators described their investigation of 208 cases of malaria from the Kapit division of Malaysian Borneo [1]. Their interest had arisen because of the severity of the disease in patients that had been diagnosed as being infected with Plasmodium malariae, which causes a relatively benign form of human malaria. They found that over half of these cases were the result of infection with a monkey malaria, P. knowlesi. In 2008, the group published the results of a more extensive study on the distribution of human infection by P. knowlesi in Sarawak and Sabah in Borneo and Pahang peninsular Malaysia. They demonstrated that these infections are occurring in significant numbers in many of the district hospitals. Furthermore, their investigation of four deaths in the region indicated high levels of infection with P. knowlesi and hepatorenal dysfunction, which is often associated with high parasitemias. This suggested that infection with P. knowlesi is potentially life threatening. Singh, Cox-Singh and Conway now proceed with their ground-breaking research on several fronts, including epidemiological studies to unravel the complicated story of how this emerging disease is being transmitted and further investigation of fatalities in the region to determine the extent to which the threat presents to the people of their region.
Effect of sexual recombination on population diversity in aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus and evidence for cryptic heterokaryosis

Aspergillus flavus is the major producer of carcinogenic aflatoxins (AFs) in crops worldwide. Natural populations of A. flavus show tremendous variation in AF production, some of which can be attributed to environmental conditions, differential regulation of the AF biosynthetic pathway and deletions or loss-of-function mutations in the AF gene cluster. Understanding the evolutionary processes that generate genetic diversity in A. flavus may also explain quantitative differences in aflatoxigenicity. Several population studies using multilocus genealogical approaches provide indirect evidence of recombination in the genome and specifically in the AF gene cluster. More recently, A. flavus has been shown to be functionally heterothallic and capable of sexual reproduction in laboratory crosses. In the present study, we characterize the progeny from nine A. flavus crosses using toxin phenotype assays, DNA sequence-based markers and array comparative genome hybridization. We show high AF heritability linked to genetic variation in the AF gene cluster, as well as recombination through the independent assortment of chromosomes and through crossing over within the AF cluster that coincides with inferred recombination blocks and hotspots in natural populations. Moreover, the vertical transmission of cryptic alleles indicates that while an A. flavus deletion strain is predominantly homokaryotic, it may harbour AF cluster genes at a low copy number. Results from experimental matings indicate that sexual recombination is driving genetic and functional hyperdiversity in A. flavus. The results of this study have significant implications for managing AF contamination of crops and for improving biocontrol strategies using nonaflatoxigenic strains of A. flavus.
Techniques to Achieve Energy Proportionality in Data Centers: A Survey

A data center is a set of physical and possibly virtual machines along with other components such as storage, network, cooling, power supplies and management software, that function together to serve data and information to facilitate information services to a business or organization. It consists of computing and data dissemination as the main functions, however there are several other physical elements such as cooling management and power budgeting that interact with the computing elements, thusly making a data center to exhibit both a cyber and a physical behavior.
AUTONOMY AND HIERARCHY

In autonomous action the agent herself directs and governs the action. But what is it for the agent herself to direct and to govern? One theme in a series of articles by Harry G. Frankfurt is that we can make progress in answering this question by appeal to higher-order conative attitudes. Frankfurt's original version of this idea is that in acting of one's own free will, one is not acting simply because one desires so to act. Rather, it is also true that this desire motivates one's action because one desires that this desire motivate one's action. This latter desire about the motivational role of one's desire is a second-order desire. It is, in particular, what Frankfurt calls a second-order “volition.” And, according to Frankfurt's original proposal, acting of one's own free will involves in this way such second-order, and sometimes yet higher order, volitions.
The Stability Problem

Presumably, if the Godelian is to find a solution to the Stability Problem for a given system T (T being an ideal system whose soundness is in question, and therefore a system whose syntax is to be represented or “arithmetized”) he must locate a set C of conditions on formulae of T (T now being treated also as the system in which the syntax of T is to be represented) such that (1) every formula of T that can reasonably be said to express the consistency of T satisfies the conditions in C, and (2) no formula of T that satisfies C can be proven in T provided that T is consistent. This being so, the Godelian’s success in dealing with the Stability Problem will evidently depend crucially upon his ability to defend the reasonableness of his choice of C.
Systemic Hypertension in Low-Gradient Severe Aortic Stenosis With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Background—Low-gradient severe aortic stenosis with preserved ejection fraction is an increasingly recognized entity, and symptomatic patients may benefit from aortic valve replacement. However, sy...
Heterozygosity at the canarc-1 Locus Can Confer Susceptibility for Narcolepsy: Induction of Cataplexy in Heterozygous Asymptomatic Dogs after Administration of a Combination of Drugs Acting on Monoaminergic and Cholinergic Systems

Narcolepsy is a genetically determined disorder of sleep characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and abnormal manifestations of REM sleep that affects both humans and animals. Although its exact pathophysiologic mechanisms remain undetermined, recent experiments have demonstrated that in both humans and canines, susceptibility genes are linked with immune-related genes. A striking difference, however, is that the genes thought to be involved in the human pathology are autosomal dominant, whereas canine narcolepsy in Dobermans is transmitted as a single autosomal recessive gene with full penetrance (canarc-1). In this study, we have examined the development of narcoleptic symptoms in homozygous narcoleptic, heterozygous, and control Dobermans. Animals were behaviorally observed until 5 months of age and then treated at weekly intervals with cataplexy-inducing compounds that act on cholinergic or monoaminergic systems (alone and in combination). Our data indicate that cataplexy can be induced in 6- month-old asymptomatic heterozygous animals, but not in control canines, with a combination of drugs that act on the monoaminergic and cholinergic systems. This demonstrates that disease susceptibility may be carried by heterozygosity at the canarc-1 locus. Our data further suggest that cataplexy, a model of REM sleep atonia, is centrally regulated by a balance of activity between cholinergic and monoaminergic neurons.
A pilot study evaluating the efficacy of topically applied niacin derivatives for treatment of female pattern alopecia.

Summary Background Female pattern alopecia is a common dermatologic condition that manifests after puberty. The only approved drug treatment for this condition is 2% minoxidil for topical application. Aims This pilot study examined the effect of topical application of two niacin derivatives, octyl nicotinate and tetradecyl nicotinate, on hair fullness in female alopecia. Patients/methods Sixty female subjects with Ludwig types I‐III female pattern hair loss were evaluated in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled (40 active, 20 placebo) design using standardized 35-mm photographic analyses for assessment of efficacy after 6 months of application. Results The niacin derivatives demonstrated a statistically significant increase in hair fullness ( P = 0.04 compared to the placebo). Conclusion Whereas evaluation of hair growth in women is challenging, this 6-month pilot study demonstrated statistically significant increase in hair fullness on blinded 35-mm photographic analysis. Long-term topical application of nicotinic acid derivatives offers promise for providing benefit in female alopecia and warrants further study.
The MacKay‐skinner debate: A case for “nothing buttery”

Abstract Donald M. MacKay believed that freedom of action and human dignity are compatible with a science of behavior. In 1971 he argued this position with B.F. Skinner in a televised debate. After a brief biography of MacKay, several major points from this debate will be reviewed. The discussion serves to emphasize the correspondence rather than competition between levels of analysis, whether the levels are disciplinary (e.g. psychology, neuroscience, physics) or a matter of perspective (inside story, outside story).
OPERATIONALIZING CONCEPTS OF EQUITY FOR PUBLIC PROJECT INVESTMENTS

Decisions for evaluating public project investment most frequently use benefit-cost analysis. The procedure rests on the assumption that an efficient alternative should be selected that maximizes the net aggregate benefits to society as a whole. However, this selection results in projects that invariably provide different levels of benefits to members of a community, thus contravening the principles of equity or distributive justice. Six strategies for dealing with the problem of distributive justice are explored and examined and then applied in a common setting to a public project where several efficient alternatives are proposed. While this research is not prompted by the desire to proclaim a winner from among the strategies, it is evident that some strategies make heroic attempts to reduce inequity. Issues connected with obtaining public consensus are also briefly mentioned.
Paris as the First Day of Class.

Based on the author's experience in directing several study programs to France, this article presents and discusses ideas for activities which get students involved, upon arrival abroad, in using their foreign language and in relating to their new cultural environment. The activities suggested here, organized as a “linguistic scavenger hunt,” encourage students to get started on the right foot. The students gain the confidence they need at the beginning of the tour or study program to apply themselves and thus maximally benefit from the experience.
Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Circadian Clock Mutant Mice

The CLOCK transcription factor is a key component of the molecular circadian clock within pacemaker neurons of the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus. We found that homozygous Clock mutant mice have a greatly attenuated diurnal feeding rhythm, are hyperphagic and obese, and develop a metabolic syndrome of hyperleptinemia, hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, hyperglycemia, and hypoinsulinemia. Expression of transcripts encoding selected hypothalamic peptides associated with energy balance was attenuated in the Clock mutant mice. These results suggest that the circadian clock gene network plays an important role in mammalian energy balance.
Inactivated simian immunodeficiency virus vaccine failed to protect rhesus macaques from intravenous or genital mucosal infection but delayed disease in intravenously exposed animals.

Eight rhesus macaques were immunized four times over a period of 8 months with a psoralen-UV-light-inactivated whole simian immunodeficiency virus vaccine adjuvanted with threonyl muramyl dipeptide. Eight unvaccinated control animals received adjuvant alone. Only the vaccinated animals made antibodies before challenge exposure to the viral core and envelope as determined by Western blotting (immunoblotting) and virus-neutralizing antibodies. Ten days after the final immunization, one-half of the vaccinated and nonvaccinated monkeys were challenged exposed intravenously (i.v.) and one-half were challenge exposed via the genital mucosa with virulent simian immunodeficiency virus. All of the nonvaccinated control monkeys became persistently infected. In spite of preexisting neutralizing antibodies and an anamnestic antibody response, all of the immunized monkeys also became persistently infected. However, there was evidence that the clinical course in immunized i.v. infected animals was delayed. All four mock-vaccinated i.v. challenge-exposed animals died with disease from 3 to 9 months postchallenge. In contrast, only one of four vaccinated i.v. challenge-exposed monkeys had died by 11 months postchallenge.