cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cluster-based multinomial logistic regression analysis of saltwater anglers' concerns of marine environmental threats

This study utilised cross-sectional data extracted from the 2013 national saltwater angler survey to examine saltwater anglers' concerns to the threats of marine environment, to identify groups exhibiting common patterns of responses, and to examine the association between socio-demographic characteristics and the groups identified. Concerns of marine environmental threats from these participants were examined through factor analysis which identified three reliable factors. Cluster analysis was employed to identify three prominent groups. Statistical tests were employed to investigate the association between socio-demographic characteristics, including age, gender, income level, educational level, region of the respondent, and the saltwater angler groups identified. Results of this study may provide insight regarding the concerns of marine environmental threats from saltwater anglers as an indicator of potential participation and behaviour of saltwater recreational fishing activities.
Functionalized Electrospun Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Nanofibrous Membranes with Poly(Methyl Vinyl Ether-Alt-Maleic Anhydride) for Protein Adsorption

In this work, electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofiber membranes were functionalized by incorporating poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride) (poly(MVE/MA), PMA) for the selective adsorption of proteins. The capture performance was regulated by an optimizing buffer pH, PMA content, and protein concentration. Lysozyme was used as the model protein and a high adsorption capacity of 476.53 ± 19.48 was obtained at pH 6, owing to the electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged nanofibers and positively charged proteins. The large specific surface area, highly open porous structure, and abundant available carboxyl groups contributed to such high adsorption performance. Moreover, the nanofiber membranes exhibited good reusability and good selectivity for positively charged proteins. The obtained results can provide a promising method for the purification of proteins in small analytic devices.
Carl Weber: 1925–2016

Carl Weber, the award-winning director, Brecht collaborator, master teacher, scholar, and translator had a significant impact on American theatre, through his own theatre practice, his writing, and the many students he taught over five decades.
Growth and metal uptake of edamame [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] on soil amended with biosolids and gypsum

Although biosolids are a rich source of plant nutrients, there is concern about the potential heavy metal uptake by crops grown on biosolid-amended soils. This study was conducted to determine the ...
Trends in the treatment of clinical T1 renal cell carcinoma for octogenarians: Analysis of the National Cancer Database

Abstract Objective Treatment of renal cell carcinoma has evolved with emphasis on nephron preservation for small renal masses. Our objective was to evaluate the proportions of treatment types for octogenarians with clinical stage 1 renal cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods The National Cancer Database was analyzed from 2004 to 2015. Patients with clinical stage 1, tumor size ≤ 7 cm, and age 80–89 years old were compared to a younger control arm of patients ≤ 70 years old. Treatment modality was categorized as radical nephrectomy (RN), partial nephrectomy (PN), percutaneous ablative therapy (PAT), and no treatment (NT). Primary outcome was treatment utilization over time using estimated annual percentage change (EAPC). Secondary outcomes included logistic regression for 30 day readmission after treatment and any definitive tumor treatment choice. Results 18,903 octogenarians were identified and compared to a control of 142,179 patients ≤ 70 years old. Overall, NT (36%) was the most common modality for octogenarians while PN (44.8%) was most common for the control arm. Using EAPC for octogenarians, we found increases for PAT (7.1%), PN (2.8%), and NT (1.6%) but a decrease for RN (−4.6%). EAPC for the younger cohort noted increases for PAT (6.8%), PN (5.4%), and NT (4.4%) but a decrease for RN (−5.5%). Conclusion For octogenarians with stage 1 renal cell carcinoma, minimally invasive treatments are increasingly utilized, while RN is decreasing. Compared to a younger cohort, a greater proportion of octogenarians are receiving NT. These findings remain encouraging for appropriate treatment of localized disease in patients with advanced age.
Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources, Clinical Quality Language, and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine-Clinical Terms in Representing Clinical Evidence Logic Statements for the Use of Imaging Procedures: Descriptive Study.

Background: Evidence-based guidelines and recommendations can be transformed into “If-Then” Clinical Evidence Logic Statements (CELS). Imaging-related CELS were represented in standardized formats in the Harvard Medical School Library of Evidence (HLE). Objective: We aimed to (1) describe the representation of CELS using established Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine—Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT), Clinical Quality Language (CQL), and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standards and (2) assess the limitations of using these standards to represent imaging-related CELS. Methods: This study was exempt from review by the Institutional Review Board as it involved no human subjects. Imaging-related clinical recommendations were extracted from evidence sources and translated into CELS. The clinical terminologies of CELS were represented using SNOMED CT and the condition-action logic was represented in CQL and FHIR. Numbers of fully and partially represented CELS were tallied. Results: A total of 765 CELS were represented in the HLE as of December 2018. We were able to fully represent 137 of 765 (17.9%) CELS using SNOMED CT, CQL, and FHIR. We were able to represent terms using SNOMED CT in the temporal component for action (“Then”) statements in CQL and FHIR in 755 of 765 (98.7%) CELS. Conclusions: CELS were represented as shareable clinical decision support (CDS) knowledge artifacts using existing standards—SNOMED CT, FHIR, and CQL—to promote and accelerate adoption of evidence-based practice. Limitations to standardization persist, which could be minimized with an add-on set of standard terms and value sets and by adding time frames to the CQL framework.
Impulse Noise Detector Performance Measure Based on Intensity Volume

An accurate detector performance evaluation method provides a fair comparison platform and can also support in parameter optimization for existing Impulse noise detectors in the applications of medical imaging. The Impulse noise detector performance measure (INDPM) package is widely applied as tools for quantitative comparison among detectors, which contains recall measure, accuracy measure, precision measure, specificity measure and F-measure. However, these five measures suffer from limited accuracy in correctly evaluating the performance of a detector and are not in well agreement with human subjective evaluation. To solve this problem, five new measures are proposed by introducing a new concept of intensity volume to form a new Impulse noise detector performance package (IV-INDPM). Using a standard image dataset, we conduct experimental and comparative tests with 32 different original images and 5 different existing detectors. Results demonstrate the superior performance of each new measure within IV-INDPM in reaching a much closer agreement with human subjective evaluation, compared to existing measures in INDPM. Even though five new measures are efficient in evaluating detectors’ performance from different perspectives, a new benchmark algorithm (IND-BA) is proposed as a robust and overall metric for ease of general-purpose use by making the most of these five new measures. Comparison results demonstrate its efficiency and accuracy.
Single low-dose VSV-EBOV vaccination protects cynomolgus macaques from lethal Ebola challenge.

Summary Background Ebola virus (EBOV), variant Makona, was the causative agent of the 2013–2016 West African epidemic responsible for almost 30,000 human infections and over 11,000 fatalities. During the epidemic, the development of several experimental vaccines was accelerated through human clinical trials. One of them, the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-based vaccine VSV-EBOV, showed promising efficacy in a phase 3 clinical trial in Guinea and is currently used in the ongoing EBOV outbreak in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This vaccine expresses the EBOV-Kikwit glycoprotein from the 1995 outbreak as the immunogen. Methods Here we generated a VSV-based vaccine expressing the contemporary EBOV-Makona glycoprotein. We characterized the vaccine in tissue culture and analyzed vaccine efficacy in the cynomolgus macaque model. Subsequently, we determined the dose-dependent protective efficacy in nonhuman primates against lethal EBOV challenge. Findings We observed complete protection from disease with VSV-EBOV doses ranging from 1 × 107 to 1 × 101 plaque-forming units. Some protected animals receiving lower vaccine doses developed temporary low-level EBOV viremia. Control animals developed classical EBOV disease and reached euthanasia criteria within a week after challenge. This study demonstrates that very low doses of VSV-EBOV uniformly protect macaques against lethal EBOV challenge. Interpretation Our study provides missing pre-clinical data supporting the use of reduced VSV-EBOV vaccine doses without decreasing protective efficacy and at the same time increase vaccine safety and availability - two critical concerns in public health response. Funding Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health.
Chromatin regulatory dynamics of early development and regional specification in a directed differentiation model of the human small intestine

ABSTRACT The appropriate development of the small intestine (SI) is critical for efficient nutrient absorption and barrier function after birth. Most of the molecular features and regional patterning of the SI are programmed very early in prenatal development. However, the chromatin regulatory dynamics that underpin early SI development in humans is largely unknown. To fill this knowledge void, we apply a cutting-edge genomic technology to a state-of-the-art model of human SI development. Specifically, we leverage chromatin run-on sequencing (ChRO-seq) to define the landscape of active transcriptional regulatory elements across early stages of directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into SI organoids. Through comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of the data we provide the first-ever view of the changing chromatin regulatory landscape and define stage-specific key enhancer hotspots during human SI development. We also identify candidate transcription factors and their cistromes that are associated with the acquisition of SI identity and the initiation of regional patterning. This work offers a rich resource for studying transcriptional regulation of early human SI development.
Physical activity contributions of dancing classrooms program on middle school students.

This study measured the physical activity contributions of Dancing Classrooms on middle school students. Data were collected on 77 students from two large urban middle schools who wore Actigraph wGT3X+ accelerometers for 2 weeks during the program. Physical activity profiles were created to show participant heart rates and step counts. Focus groups further explained motivations for and limitations of exercising in the program. Participants averaged 30.23 min of class time participating in beneficial physical activity, including a mean heart rate of 122 bpm and 1,863 steps/class period. Swing dance recorded the highest exercise outputs as well as highest enjoyment by students. Girls recorded significantly higher exercise intensity levels than boys. The majority of dances in the Dancing Classrooms curriculum produce light to vigorous physical activity with Swing dance and some Sugar dances producing a moderate to vigorous physical activity response. Higher physical activity outputs were also attributed to uptempo music modifications and styles of dance instruction that focus on time-on-task awareness. Subscribe to TPE
Retention of basic suturing skills with brief or extended practice in veterinary students.

Objective To evaluate the effect of practice duration on accuracy, retention, and confidence when learning how to tie basic surgical knots. Study design Prospective study. Sample population Fifteen first-year veterinary students. Methods Students were randomly assigned to a 2-week practice (TWP) or an 8-week practice (EWP) to learn how to tie surgeon's, strangle, and miller's knots. Students' knot-tying accuracy and confidence were evaluated immediately after training, at an intermediate time point (2-6 weeks postpractice), and at 12 weeks postpractice. Results Students who had been trained during an extended period tied the strangle knot correctly more often at all assessments (P = .025). The ability of students trained for 2 weeks to tie the strangle knot correctly decreased over time (P = .028). These students lost some confidence (P = .03) and repositioned suture more frequently (P = .03) while constructing the strangle knot at the final time point compared with students trained for 8 weeks. Students who completed TWP felt more confident at placing surgeon's knots than friction knots at the final assessment period (P = .0164 miller's knot, P = .0056 strangle knot), whereas confidence did not differ between knot types for students who completed EWP. All students felt less confident with their knot-tying skills at 12 weeks postpractice. Conclusion Training for 8 weeks rather than for 2 weeks resulted in superior knot tying skills. Students' confidence decreased 12 weeks after training. Clinical significance Prolonged distributed practice is recommended to train students for more complex tasks such as placement of a strangle knot.
Magnesium, Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Cardiovascular Disease

Hypomagnesemia is commonly observed in heart failure, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. Low serum magnesium (Mg) is a predictor for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality and treating Mg deficiency may help prevent cardiovascular disease. In this review, we discuss the possible mechanisms by which Mg deficiency plays detrimental roles in cardiovascular diseases and review the results of clinical trials of Mg supplementation for heart failure, arrhythmias and other cardiovascular diseases.
Do individuals with eating disorders dislike exposure therapy? Attitudes from children, adults, and parents toward exposure therapy and other treatments for eating disorders.

Objective Exposure therapy appears underutilized in the treatment of eating disorders (EDs), perhaps due to clinicians' concerns that patients will dislike exposure therapy. The present study aims to investigate the attitudes of child patients, adult patients, and parents of child patients with EDs toward exposure therapy relative to four other treatments for EDs. Method A questionnaire was administered to patients and parents (N = 126) upon admission to a partial hospitalization program for EDs. Participants read vignettes describing five different treatments for EDs, and answered questions assessing attitudes about each treatment. Results At admission, participants reported the most favorable attitudes toward cognitive therapy, and the least favorable attitudes toward psychiatric medication. Exposure therapy generally received similar scores as interpersonal and expressive art therapy, and was perceived as significantly more preferable and effective in the long-term than psychiatric medication. Relative to child and adult patients, parents reported greater preferences for all treatments except medication, and perceived all treatments as more credible except medication and art therapy. Preliminary findings from a subset of participants who also completed the questionnaire at discharge indicated that positive attitudes toward exposure therapy increased over the course of treatment. Discussion Individuals with EDs and their parents may enter treatment with particularly favorable views toward cognitive therapy, and do not appear to have strong attitudes toward exposure therapy one way or the other. Clinicians' concerns that patients with EDs will dislike exposure therapy may be largely unfounded.
Non-atypical endometrial hyperplasia: risk factors for occult endometrial atypia and malignancy in patients managed with hysterectomy.

Objective To determine the risk factors for occult endometrial atypia and malignancy in patients diagnosed with non-atypical endometrial hyperplasia (NEH) on endometrial biopsy. Methods All new cases of NEH diagnosed between April 2015 and March 2016 at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, who underwent hysterectomy as first-line treatment, were included in the study. Patients with a history of endometrial hyperplasia or malignancy were excluded from the study. Patient demographics (e.g., age, parity, body mass index [BMI]), medical history, and clinical presentation were obtained for analysis. Results In total, 262 patients were diagnosed with NEH, of which 18.3% (n=48) underwent hysterectomy as first-line management. The average time to surgery was 77.0±35.7 days. All cases were diagnosed by dilation and curettage, and hysteroscopy. The mean age was 51 years, and the mean BMI was 26.9±5.8 kg/m2. Histology from the hysterectomy specimen showed 9 (18.8%) patients with atypical hyperplasia and 2 (4.2%) with grade 1, stage 1A endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Patients with higher grade final pathology had significantly lower median parity (1 vs. 2, P=0.039), higher mean BMI (30.1±6.5 vs. 25.9±5.3 kg/㎡, P=0.033), and BMI ≥30 kg/㎡ (54.5% vs. 13.5%, P=0.008, odds ratio 7.68), compared to patients whose final histology showed NEH or no residual hyperplasia. Conclusion Occult endometrial atypia and malignancy were found in 18.8% and 4.2% of patients with an initial diagnosis of NEH, respectively. High BMI and low parity were identified as significant risk factors for high-grade endometrial lesions in patients with NEH.
Achieving a Cure: The Next Frontier in Hepatitis B Treatment

Since the discovery of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) by Blumberg et al. in 1965, significant progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of the virus and creating an effective vaccine. In the past two decades, several antiviral therapies have reduced the incidence of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma. The nucleos(t)ide analogues have succeeded in decreasing the viral load to undetectable levels but have been unable to eradicate the virus due to the persistence of covalently closed circular DNA in the hepatocyte nucleus. Despite being on successful antiviral therapy for multiple years, patients are still at risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma. Recently, a number of different drug targets have been identified that intervene on the viral replication cycle or host immune system. This chapter discusses the immunopathogenesis of the virus, the effectiveness of nucleos(t)ide analogues, and recent therapeutic developments. In light of robust progress achieved in antiviral therapy, the cure for hepatitis B is likely on the horizon.
An Adjusted Maximum Likelihood Estimator of Autocorrelation in Disturbances

Although it has been shown [9] that the maximum likelihood (M.L.) estimator of the autocorrelation coefficient in linear models with autoregressive disturbances is asymptotically unbiased, several Monte Carlo studies [8], [6], [15] suggest that finite sample bias is usually large enough to be of some concern. In the next section an approximation to the bias is developed and used to obtain an adjusted estimator with substantial smaller bias. Section 3 presents the results of applying the adjusted M.L. estimator, the unadjusted M.L., and two other estimators to Monte Carlo data. Some interpretations and conjectures comprise Section 4 and computing procedures are discussed in Section 5. The remainder of this section contains a brief sketch of maximum likelihood estimation.
The PPARγ ligand ciglitazone alters expression of multiple cell cycle proteins in androgen-independent human prostate cancer cells

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 4658 Although ligands for the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) are known to inhibit proliferation of human prostate cancer cells, the mechanisms underlying PPARγ agonist-induced reductions in prostate cancer cell proliferation are not fully understood. In MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, PPARγ ligands inhibit cell proliferation by arresting the cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. This G1 arrest is due, in part, to the down-regulation of cyclin D1 and other proteins that regulate the G1-S transition. To determine whether PPARγ agonists alter expression of G1-associated cell cycle proteins in human prostate cancer cells, we tested the effects of the PPARγ ligand ciglitazone on the PC-3 and C4-2 androgen-independent human prostate cancer cell lines. Western blot analysis revealed that ciglitazone concentrations (30-45 μM) that inhibit PC-3 and C4-2 cell proliferation also reduced expression of cyclin D1. Cyclin D1 protein levels were reduced by greater than 50% in both cell lines after twenty-four hours of ciglitazone exposure, and cyclin D1 levels remained depressed after three days of treatment. Transient transfection of cyclin D1-specific siRNA into PC-3 cells not only lowered cyclin D1 protein levels, but also decreased PC-3 cell proliferation, as measured by a reduction in cell number and [3H]-thymidine incorporation. In addition, luciferase-based reporter assays indicated that PPARγ transcriptional activity was increased in PC-3 cells transfected with cyclin D1 siRNA. These data suggest that down-regulation of cyclin D1 by ciglitazone resulted not only in an increase in PPARγ activity but also a decrease in PC-3 cell proliferation. However, cyclin D1 was not the only cell cycle-related protein whose expression was altered by ciglitazone. Ciglitazone reduced protein levels of cyclin D3 within both PC-3 and C4-2 cells. Expression of the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p21 was also induced by ciglitazone in the PC-3 cell line. Therefore, while decreases in cyclin D1 appear to play a significant role in ciglitazone-induced inhibition of human prostate cancer cell proliferation, alterations in p21 and cyclin D3 protein expression may also contribute to the net anti-proliferative effect produced by ciglitazone.
A Critical Evaluation of Migraine Trigger Site Deactivation Surgery (P7.194)

OBJECTIVE: To provide a critical evaluation of migraine trigger site deactivation surgery (MTSDS). BACKGROUND: MTSDS is a term that encompasses 4 procedures performed for migraine prevention. For intranasal onset headaches, septoplasty and turbinectomy are performed. For frontal onset headaches, the corrugator supercilii, depressor supercilii, and procerus are resected. For temporal onset headaches, a trigeminal nerve segment is resected. For occipital onset headaches, a portion of semispinalis capitis muscle is removed, and the greater occipital nerve is shielded using a flap. Multiple studies have demonstrated some efficacy of these procedures, but evaluation of study methodology reveals major flaws. DESIGN/METHODS: Two studies advocating these procedures include "A placebo-controlled surgical trial of the treatment of migraine headaches" and "Five year outcome of surgical treatment of migraine headaches". A critical evaluation of these studies was performed. RESULTS: These two studies contain numerous methodological flaws including unclear patient selection, unmatched groups, and omission of headache medications utilized during the study period. The 5 year study improperly uses the term control group, as there was no sham surgery group. In some cases, multiple procedures were performed simultaneously, so single procedure efficacy cannot be determined. The unvalidated endpoints utilized included 50% reduction in frequency, intensity, duration, or migraine headache index (frequency X intensity X duration). Some patients experienced "significant improvement" after surgery, but had additional surgery during follow-up periods. These patients and others were excluded from the final data analysis for unclear reasons. CONCLUSIONS: MTSDS may be useful in a subset of migraine patients with or without coexisting headache disorders, but the supporting data at this time are not convincing. In addition to unclear efficacy, these expensive procedures also have complications including worsening pain and permanent itching. Future studies should include imaging that demonstrates clear surgical targets that involve nerve compression (supraorbital neuralgia, occipital neuralgia) or intranasal contact points (contact point headache). MTSDS should be considered experimental at best based on available data. Study Supported by: N/A Disclosure: Dr. Mathew has nothing to disclose.
Surface erosion of fine-grained sediment revisited

Abstract For applications in waters with low to moderate concentrations of suspended finegrained sediments, the formula of Kandiah (1974) for the rate of bed surface erosion remains a convenient model for simulating scour due to steady or quasi-steady flows. Arulanandan et al. (1980) show that the two parameters characterizing this formula, namely the erosion rate constant and the bed shear strength with respect to erosion, seem to be related in such a way that the rate constant decreases with increasing shear strength. Other studies have shown that the shear strength correlates with bed density. We have used these findings to develop a formula for estimating the rate of erosion from bed density for sediments which are largely inorganic. While this formula cannot replace the need for laboratory or prototype testing of sediment beds for an accurate determination of erosion rate, it may be used to obtain “first cut” values of the rate characterizing parameters in situations where they are unavailable from measurements. Recent experimental results suggest that the same formula may also be useful for estimating the rate of erosion of organic-rich sediments.
TGF-beta2 in aqueous humor suppresses S-phase entry in cultured corneal endothelial cells.

PURPOSE. Corneal endothelium in vivo is arrested in G1, the phase of the cell cycle that prepares cells for DNA synthesis. In many cell types, transforming growth factor (TGF)-b inhibits proliferation by inducing G1-phase arrest. Evidence indicates that corneal endothelial cells synthesize mRNA for TGF-b1 and are also bathed in aqueous humor that contains TGF-b2 (mainly in a latent form). As such, this cytokine may maintain the corneal endothelium in a G1-phase‐arrested state in vivo. The purpose of these studies was to determine the effect of exogenous TGF-b2 and TGF-b2 in aqueous humor on DNA synthesis in cultured corneal endothelial cells. METHODS. Rat corneal endothelial cells were grown in explant culture and identified by morphology and reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction using primers for specific corneal cell markers. Subconfluent cells were synchronized in the G0 phase (quiescence) by serum starvation for 24 hours. Serum was then added to the cells in the presence or absence of exogenous TGF-b 2o r activated rat aqueous humor. [ 3 H]Thymidine was added, and radioactivity was measured at various time points to detect DNA synthesis. Preincubation of exogenous TGF-b2 or activated rat aqueous humor with neutralizing antibody was used to test for cytokine specificity. RESULTS. A linear increase in [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation began approximately 16 hours after serum addition, and peak incorporation occurred at approximately 24 hours. Exposure of cells to serum plus TGF-b2 suppressed [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations ranging from 5 pg/ml to 5 ng/ml. [ 3 H]Thymidine incorporation was also suppressed in cells exposed to serum plus rat aqueous humor diluted 1:10. Neutralizing antibody reversed the effects of both exogenous TGF-b2 and aqueous humor. CONCLUSIONS. Exogenous TGF-b2 and TGF-b2 in aqueous humor suppress S-phase entry of rat corneal endothelial cells. These results suggest that this cytokine in aqueous humor could help maintain the corneal endothelium in a G1-phase‐arrested state in vivo. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1999;40:2513‐2519)
Initiation of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis: VII. A UNIQUE LOCATION OF THE GAP IN THE M13 REPLICATIVE DUPLEX SYNTHESIZED IN VITRO

Abstract Replication of M13 viral strands with an enzyme preparation from Escherichia coli produces a duplex (RF–II) with a nearly full length complementary strand (Wickner, W., Brutlag, D., Schekman, R., Kornberg, A., (1972) Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 69, 965–969). The gap in this strand relative to the viral circle has a unique location as judged by the following criteria: (a) a Haemophilus influenzae restriction enzyme preparation breaks the RF–II at one specific site near the gap, cleaving the complementary strand into one large and one small fragment; (b) a Haemophilus parainfluenzae restriction enzyme preparation cleaves the RF–I into at least nine fragments, one of which is missing from the RF–II and is restored when the gap is filled by DNA polymerase. These newly added deoxyribonucleotides are primarily associated with the small fragment after cleavage by H. influenzae enzyme, establishing the proximity of this cleavage site near the 3' end of the complementary strand; (c) pyrimidine tracts from the repaired region (and representing the gap) have a simple and distinctive composition, compared with the full complementary strand; and (d) cleavage of the RF–II at the gap by the single-strand-specific endonuclease S1 from Aspergillus oryzae yields linear molecules which after melting and re-annealing from linear rather than circular duplexes, demonstrating that the gap is at only one place relative to the viral strand.
Robust stability of a class of networked control systems based on descriptor system

Based on a regular, impulse-free and linear time-invariant descriptor system, the problem of robust stability for a class of networked control systems with uncertain time-delay is studied when sensors are clock-driven, the controller and actuators are event-driven. Considering uncertain time-delay less than and equal to one sampling period, the dynamical output feedback networked control systems is modeled as a linear time-variant normal system with uncertainty. By using Lyapunov theory and linear matrix inequality approach, the sufficient and necessary conditions of robust stabilization for the system are derived, and the design method of robust control law that makes the system stable is presented. A numerical example is given to show that the analysis method and the results are valid and feasible. The result is useful to the analysis and design of networked control systems under which the controlled object plays a role of linear descriptor system.
Genotyping by Sequencing for SNP-Based Linkage Map Construction and QTL Analysis of Chilling Requirement and Bloom Date in Peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch]

Low-cost, high throughput genotyping methods are crucial to marker discovery and marker-assisted breeding efforts, but have not been available for many ‘specialty crops’ such as fruit and nut trees. Here we apply the Genotyping-By-Sequencing (GBS) method developed for cereals to the discovery of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a peach F2 mapping population. Peach is a genetic and genomic model within the Rosaceae and will provide a template for the use of this method with other members of this family. Our F2 mapping population of 57 genotypes segregates for bloom time (BD) and chilling requirement (CR) and we have extensively phenotyped this population. The population derives from a selfed F1 progeny of a cross between ‘Hakuho’ (high CR) and ‘UFGold’ (low CR). We were able to successfully employ GBS and the TASSEL GBS pipeline without modification of the original methodology using the ApeKI restriction enzyme and multiplexing at an equivalent of 96 samples per Illumina HiSeq 2000 lane. We obtained hundreds of SNP markers which were then used to construct a genetic linkage map and identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for BD and CR.
The Impact of Power Equality, Income, and the Environment on Human Health: Some Inter‐Country Comparisons

Abstract Economic studies on environmental degradation generally have a narrow focus on per capita income as an explanatory variable, and often fail to distinguish among the various types of environmental quality or damage. This paper addresses both problems by examining the effect of relative equality in the distribution of power on environmental outcomes, and making a clear distinction between health‐related environmental outcomes and so‐called ‘environmental amenities,’ only the latter of which should correlate strongly with income. This paper introduces a national index of power equality that is derived from related socioeconomic variables, and studies its effects on individual country achievement in addressing environmental quality and population health. This model is applied to a data set of 180 countries, as well as to subgroups of the entire country set. Employing disability‐adjusted life expectancy and the population child mortality rate as two health proxies, this paper finds that power equality...
Accelerated Curing of Aryl-Ethynyl End-Capped Polyimide Oligomers and Model Compounds: A Kinetic Study Probing Substituent Effects

The compounds N-phenyl-4-(10-methoxy-9-anthracenylethynyl)phthalimide (1), N-phenyl-4-(4-methoxy-1-naphthylethynyl)phthalimide (2), and N-phenyl-4-(4-benzonitrileethynyl)phthalimide (3) were synthesized to probe the effect(s) of electronic subsituents on the thermal curing of aryl−ethynyl end-capped oligomers using end-cap model compounds. The curing kinetics were analyzed using SEC and NMR techniques and Arrhenius parameters were determined and compared to the anthracenyl, naphthyl, and phenyl analogues, 4, 5, and 6, respectively. A thermal curing rate acceleration was attributed to the electron-donating methoxy functionality. This acceleration is independent from the previously observed rate acceleration (phenyl < naphthyl < anthracenyl). Analyses of product distribution of 95% cured model compounds via SEC reveal slight differences between 1 and 4 but no discernible differences between 2 and 5. The incorporation of the electron-withdrawing group has no effect on the thermal cure rates, as the curing ki...
Usefulness of lercanidipine, a new calcium antagonist, for systemic hypertension.

Dihydropyridine calcium antagonisis have significant antihypertensive dihydropyridine properties, mainly mediated by profound vasodilation. The socalled first-generation dihydropyridine calcium antagonists are exemplified by nifedipine; the second generation calcium antagonists exemplified by amlodipine do not produce much myocardial depression; and the third generation dihydropyridine calcium antagonists exemplified by lercanidipine appear to decrease blood pressure without invoking unfavorable hemodynamic or sympathetic activity. 5 The vasodilatory mechanisms of lercanidipine may involve endothelial actions over and beyond the classic blockade of L-type calcium channels. An important attribute of emerging calcium antagonists is not only their added efficacy in the treatment of hypertension but their possible safety umbrella, because drugs like lercanidipine do not activate the neurohumoral reflexes, and thus, may be better tolerated, including freedom from ankle edema. These drugs also maintain adequate blood pressure control for 24 hours with once-daily dosing. 5,6 The short-acting preparations like nifedipine capsules should be avoided in the routine management of hypertension due to their rapid onset of action accompanied by numerous adverse effects; furthermore, short-acting calcium antagonists have been implicated in the negative outcomes of patients with coronary heart disease. 1
Energetics of the midlatitude thermosphere

Thermospheric energetics is examined from the point of view of atomic and molecular processes which convert solar EUV radiative energy into kinetic energy of the ambient electron, ion, and neutral gases. The energy flow from photon to photoelectron-ion pair through energy loss and ion-molecule transfer to eventual electron-ion recombination is traced in detail. Upper and lower bounds are placed on the efficiency of conversion of radiative to thermal energy. Implications for the question of consistency of measured solar EUV fluxes and ionospheric models are discussed.
Oral Hydrocortisone Pharmacokinetics: A Comparison of Fluorescence and Ultraviolet High-Pressure Liquid Chromatographic Assays for Hydrocortisone in Plasma

Three fasted, male subjects received single 10-, 30-, and 50-mg oral doses of hydrocortisone tablets on separate occasions. Endogenous hydrocortisone was suppressed by giving 2 mg of dexametha-sone 9 hr prior to dosing. Plasma samples obtained serially for 8 hr after hydrocortisone dosing were assayed by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection and by normal-phase HPLC with fluorescence detection of the dansylhydrazine derivative of hydrocortisone. The two assay methods yielded equivalent plasma hydrocortisone concentrations. Metabolite interference was absent in both assay methods. Drug concentrations in plasma from all three doses of hydrocortisone were described by one-compartment open-model kinetics, with first-order absorption and elimination, and an absorption lag time. Mean Cmax values of 199, 393, and 419 ng/ml were obtained at 1.0, 1.0, and 1.7 hr following the 10-, 30-, and 50-mg doses, respectively. Hydrocortisone was cleared from plasma with an elimination half-life of ~1.5 hr. Within the dosage range studied, plasma levels of hydrocortisone were related, but not directly proportional, to dose size. This apparent lack of proportionality may be due to reduced drug availability or altered distribution with increasing dose.
Implicit Belief? A Priori Knowledge?*

Critique des presupposes de la these de la connaissance implicite defendue par J. Hawthorne dans l'article precedent : le premier consiste a rejeter les theories actuelles de la connaissance a priori, le second a revendiquer la construction positive d'une nouvelle epistemologie. L'A. revise les notions de croyance implicite et explicite, croyance vraie et intuition.
Ethics and science

In this paper C. West Churchman explores a question that Kenneth Boulding asked repeatedly: ‘Is economics basically a study of ethical behaviour?’ In typical Churchman style, he has a conversation with Boulding about this question and discusses it in the context of his own primary concern: the relationships between ethics and science.
Omega-3 fatty acids affected human perception of ground beef negatively.

The objective was to determine the impact of increasing levels of Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; C20:5n3) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22:6n3) on beef palatability. Two commercial supplements of EPA and DHA were added to 85% lean ground beef patties (176.2 ± 3.76 g) with different levels (0, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 1% as-is). Olive oil was added so that all patties contained 1% added lipid. A control treatment was also prepared with no supplement or olive oil. Sensory evaluation and fatty acid analysis was conducted. Ground beef flavor decreased linearly (P < 0.001) with increasing levels of EPA and DHA. Off-aroma and off-flavor increased linearly and then plateaued with increasing levels of EPA (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, EPA had a greater negative impact on beef palatability than DHA. Also, the panelists were more sensitive to EPA in off-flavor perception than off-aroma.
Arctic Report Card

The 2009 annual update of the Arctic Report Card, issued on 22 October, indicates that “warming of the Arctic continues to be widespread, and in some cases dramatic. Linkages between air, land, sea, and biology are evident.” The report, a collaborative effort of 71 national and international scientists initiated in 2006 by the Climate Program Office of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), highlights several concerns, including a change in large-scale wind patterns affected by the loss of summer sea ice; the replacement of multiyear sea ice by first-year sea ice; warmer and fresher water in the upper ocean linked to new ice-free areas; and the effects of the loss of sea ice on Arctic plant, animal, and fish species. “Climate change is happening faster in the Arctic than any other place on Earth—and with wide-ranging consequences,” said NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco. “This year's Arctic Report Card underscores the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas pollution and adapting to climate changes already under way.”
Cyanogenesis effect on insect damage to seedling white clover in a bermudagrass sod

Cyanogenesis in white clover (Trifolium repens L.) has been shown to confer resistance to a number of leaf-feeding insects and molluscs in laboratory and field studies. Most cultivars grown in the USA, however, are acyanogenic. White clover seedlings may be damaged or killed by insect feeding during establishment into a grass sod. The objective of this study was to determine if white clover stand establishment in a grass sod is influenced by cyanogenesis. Two cyanogenic white clover populations, HCNpi and BLHplus, and two acyanogenie populations, ‘Regal’ and BLHminus, were sod-seeded into common bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] at two locations in 1994 and one location in 1995. The 1994 test in Forage Unit A was planted on an Oktibbeha silty clay (very-fine, smectitic, thermic Chromic Dystrudert). The 1994 and 1995 tests in Forage Unit B were planted on a Savannah fine sandy loam (fine-loamy, siliceous, semiactive, thermic Typic Fragiudult). The studies were conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replicates at Mississippi State, MS. Cotyledons, unifoliate leaves, and trifoliate leaves were rated for insect damage and leaf area loss due to insect feeding at 2, 4, and 6 wk after seeding. No differences were noted among the populations for seedling survival at 2 wk after seeding. At 4 and 6 wk after seeding, the highly cyanogenic population, HCNpi, had fewer plants with trifoliate leaves damaged and lost less leaf area due to insect feeding than either acyanogenic population. Seedling survival at 6 wk was 88% for HCNpi, compared with 66% for acyanogenic Regal. Cyanogenesis in white clover reduced insect feeding damage and improved seedling survival in bermudagrass sod. The incorporation of limited levels of cyanogenesis into acyanogenic U.S. cultivars could improve seedling establishment without the animal toxicity concerns of highly cyanogenic types. Contribution of the USDA-ARS in cooperation with the Mississippi Agric. and Forestry Exp. Stn. Journal Article no. 9178 of the Mississippi Agric. and Forestry Exp. Stn.
Countable Exchange and Full Exchange Rings

We show that a Dedekind-finite, semi-π-regular ring with a “nice” topology is an ℵ0-exchange ring, and the same holds true for a strongly clean ring with a “nice” topology. We generalize the argument to show that a Dedekind-finite, semi-regular ring with a “nice” topology is a full exchange ring. Putting these results in the language of modules, we show that a cohopfian module with finite exchange has countable exchange, and all modules with Dedekind-finite, semi-regular endomorphism rings are full exchange modules. These results are generalized further.
Blackbody radiators for field calibration

The design and construction of four extended-area blackbody radiators for field calibration are described, and the special performance features of each are detailed. Emphasized in design considerations is maintenance of uniform thermal profiles on high-emissivity metal plates that operate at temperatures ranging from 40 to 375 degree(s)C. For each of the four versions, individual radiator plate size and uniform blackbody temperature are the critical design parameters. Laboratory test data are presented to establish that each design configuration meets the operating specifications. The data demonstrate that reliable extended-area blackbody radiators can be built for field use at a lower cost than those of currently available radiators.
c-Cbl mediates ubiquitination, degradation, and down-regulation of human protease-activated receptor 2

Mechanisms that arrest G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling prevent uncontrolled stimulation that could cause disease. Although uncoupling from heterotrimeric G-proteins, which transiently arrests signaling, is well described, little is known about the mechanisms that permanently arrest signaling. Here we reported on the mechanisms that terminate signaling by protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR(2)), which mediated the proinflammatory and nociceptive actions of proteases. Given its irreversible mechanism of proteolytic activation, PAR(2) is a model to study the permanent arrest of GPCR signaling. By immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting, we observed that activated PAR(2) was mono-ubiquitinated. Immunofluorescence indicated that activated PAR(2) translocated from the plasma membrane to early endosomes and lysosomes where it was degraded, as determined by immunoblotting. Mutant PAR(2) lacking intracellular lysine residues (PAR(2)Delta14K/R) was expressed at the plasma membrane and signaled normally but was not ubiquitinated. Activated PAR(2) Delta14K/R internalized but was retained in early endosomes and avoided lysosomal degradation. Activation of wild type PAR(2) stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the ubiquitin-protein isopeptide ligase c-Cbl and promoted its interaction with PAR(2) at the plasma membrane and in endosomes in an Src-dependent manner. Dominant negative c-Cbl lacking the ring finger domain inhibited PAR(2) ubiquitination and induced retention in early endosomes, thereby impeding lysosomal degradation. Although wild type PAR(2) was degraded, and recovery of agonist responses required synthesis of new receptors, lysine mutation and dominant negative c-Cbl impeded receptor ubiquitination and degradation and allowed PAR(2) to recycle and continue to signal. Thus, c-Cbl mediated ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation of PAR(2) to irrevocably terminate signaling by this and perhaps other GPCRs.
Structural stability of sodium ammonium zeolite X

Abstract The crystallinities of NaHX samples obtained by calcination of NaNH4X were determined from the cyclohexane sorption capacities. The zeolite X crystal structure was found to be thermally stable if the Na Al atomic ratio is at least about 0.6, corresponding to 32 protons/unit cell. Generalized, the results suggest that the faujasite structure with any Si Al ratio is perfectly stable to calcination of the ammonium form, if not more than 32 protons/unit cell are generated. The structural stability of NaHX to recalcination after water sorption was also found to be a function of the Na Al ratio. Above a Na Al atomic ratio of 0.6, the crystallinities were somewhat greater and, below this value, somewhat lower than a linear relation would predict. The cross-over point is expected to depend on the Si Al ratio.