cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beyond Tasks: An Activity Typology for Visual Analytics

As Visual Analytics (VA) research grows and diversifies to encompass new systems, techniques, and use contexts, gaining a holistic view of analytic practices is becoming ever more challenging. However, such a view is essential for researchers and practitioners seeking to develop systems for broad audiences that span multiple domains. In this paper, we interpret VA research through the lens of Activity Theory (AT)—a framework for modelling human activities that has been influential in the field of Human-Computer Interaction. We first provide an overview of Activity Theory, showing its potential for thinking beyond tasks, representations, and interactions to the broader systems of activity in which interactive tools are embedded and used. Next, we describe how Activity Theory can be used as an organizing framework in the construction of activity typologies, building and expanding upon the tradition of abstract task taxonomies in the field of Information Visualization. We then apply the resulting process to create an activity typology for Visual Analytics, synthesizing a wide range of systems and activity concepts from the literature. Finally, we use this typology as the foundation of an activity-centered design process, highlighting both tensions and opportunities in the design space of VA systems.
Greater than the Sum of its PARTs: Expressing and Reusing Design Intent in 3D Models

With the increasing popularity of consumer-grade 3D printing, many people are creating, and even more using, objects shared on sites such as Thingiverse. However, our formative study of 962 Thingiverse models shows a lack of re-use of models, perhaps due to the advanced skills needed for 3D modeling. An end user program perspective on 3D modeling is needed. Our framework (PARTs) empowers amateur modelers to graphically specify design intent through geometry. PARTs includes a GUI, scripting API and exemplar library of assertions which test design expectations and integrators which act on intent to create geometry. PARTs lets modelers integrate advanced, model specific functionality into designs, so that they can be re-used and extended, without programming. In two workshops, we show that PARTs helps to create 3D printable models, and modify existing models more easily than with a standard tool.
Assessment in sports: psychological and neuropsychological approaches

Abstract Perhaps one of the most sought out endeavors within the athletic community involves identifying variables that foster enhanced athletic performance. Usain Bolt, Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, and Kerri Walsh are arguably just a few of the world’s top athletes, who have achieved the zenith of their particular sports. However, one cannot help but wonder, what specific variables contribute to such remarkable and elite sports performances? Obviously, physical attributes including flexibility, agility, speed, stamina, and strength have a significant impact on athletic prowess. Years of hard work and targeted training are also vital contributors to peak level performance. Others might even add that environmental factors such as accessibility to gymnasiums, socioeconomic status, family support, and quality of sports programs and coaching promote enhanced athletic performance. Still, should athletic success be solely attributed to raw physical talent and 10,000 h of targeted training? Are there other influential underlying psychological commonalities among these stellar athletes that positively impact their athletic achievement? When Yogi Berra quipped, “baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical” there was more than humor in the statement. At elite levels of sport, many athletes share great native ability but not all share great mental control. Some of these underlying mechanisms may include psychological factors such as confidence, competitiveness, aggressiveness, and determination. If such psychological mechanisms affect athletic achievement, how can we measure and further develop such psychological skills? Can these measures be used to predict potential athletic achievement? Are there specific psychological mechanisms that influence an athlete’s level of success within their sport? These questions will be addressed in the first portion of this chapter.
Polysomnography Reference Values in Healthy Newborns

Study Objectives:Polysomnography (PSG) is increasingly used in the assessment of infants. Newborn PSG reference values based on recent standardization are not available. This study provides referen...
Ethanol Induced Changes on in Vitro Protein Synthesis during the Development and Maturation of Brain Tissue

Decreased protein synthesis in a cell free system of brain has been reported for male adult rats following chronic ethanol ingestion. To assess the developmental and maturational changes occurring in the neonatal brain, the effects of pre- and postnatal maternal ingestion of ethanol were determined. For these studies young female rats were given a 10% w/v ethanol/water solution for varying periods after impregnation and seven days post pregnancy. Data showed that maternal ethanol ingestion produced a large deficit in the in vitro incorporation of (14C) leucine into the hot TCA extractable residue of ribosomes of neonatal brain. Maximum inhibition was obtained when ethanol was given postnatally. To determine the molecular sites of ethanol’s action, ribosomes and pH 5 enzymes from the adult and neonatal brain were examined. Data showed that the highest activity was obtained with control neonatal brain enzymes and ribosomal fractions.
Persistent Intracardiac Thrombus: Could it be Cancer?

A 55-year-old man with ischemic cardiomyopathy, right ventricular (RV) thrombus on warfarin, and left nephrectomy 10 years prior for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) presented with dyspnea. An echocardiogram demonstrated the chronic RV mass, presumed to be a thrombus, enlarged from prior despite therapeutic anticoagulation (INR 2.4). A cardiacMRI performed to better characterize the lesion confirmed a large fat-containing mass with malignant features in the RV (Figs. 1 and 2). An endomyocardial biopsy revealed metastatic RCC. No evidence of other systemic, inferior vena cava (IVC) or atrial metastasis was identified. Despite palliative radiation, the patient died 3 months later. Primary tumors of the heart are rare and outnumbered by metastatic disease. Non dissolving intracardiac masses should raise suspicion for tumor. Our patients’ ‘thrombus’ was likely tumor all along. Tumor extension to the heart is a known complication of RCC, but isolated RVmetastasis without contiguous IVC or atrial involvement is exceedingly rare. Echocardiography may identify a metastatic lesion, but cardiac MRI provides greater detail. No standard treatment guidelines exist, with surgical excision, immunotherapy and radiation therapy attempted, with generally poor results. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for metastatic disease, even in patients with remote history of cancer.
Serine proteases: how did chemists tease out their catalytic mechanism?

Serine proteases are a family of enzymes that degrade a wide range of proteins and play vital roles in a variety of biological processes. Their mechanism of action involves several catalytic strategies that are common in enzymatic catalysis. In this article, we review the catalytic mechanism of serine proteases and how it was elucidated over the years. The artful application of chemical probes to dissect the mechanism of serine proteases provides excellent examples for teaching present-day students and scientists how to solve complex chemical and biological problems through chemical logic.
A microwave method for plastic embedding of nervous tissue for light and electron microscopy

Abstract Background Fast, effective, and rapid processing of central nervous system (CNS) tissue with good preservation of myelin, especially in tissue from diseased mice, is important to many laboratories studying neurosciences. New method In this paper, we describe a new method to process and embed CNS tissue from mice. Spinal cords and optic nerves from naive C57BL/6 mice were used to standardize the microwave protocol following perfusion with fixative. The CNS tissue was processed and embedded using the microwave embedding protocol. Results We observed that the tissue is well preserved and good quality light and electron microscope images were obtained after using the microwave embedding protocol. Comparison with existing methods Traditional way of embedding CNS tissue in resin is challenging and time consuming. The microwave technology offers an efficient way to quickly embed CNS tissue while preserving morphology and retaining the integrity of the myelin. Conclusions This new method is fast, reliable and an effective way to embed CNS tissue in resin.
Hepatic transcriptome of the freeze-tolerant Cope’s gray treefrog, Dryophytes chrysoscelis : responses to cold acclimation and freezing

Cope’s gray treefrog, Dryophytes chrysoscelis, withstands the physiological challenges of corporeal freezing, partly by accumulating cryoprotective compounds of hepatic origin, including glycerol, urea, and glucose. We hypothesized that expression of genes related to cryoprotectant mobilization and stress tolerance would be differentially regulated in response to cold. Using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), a hepatic transcriptome was generated for D. chrysoscelis, and gene expression was compared among frogs that were warm-acclimated, cold-acclimated, and frozen. A total of 159,556 transcripts were generated; 39% showed homology with known transcripts, and 34% of all transcripts were annotated. Gene-level analyses identified 34,936 genes, 85% of which were annotated. Cold acclimation induced differential expression both of genes and non-coding transcripts; freezing induced few additional changes. Transcript-level analysis followed by gene-level aggregation revealed 3582 differentially expressed genes, whereas analysis at the gene level revealed 1324 differentially regulated genes. Approximately 3.6% of differentially expressed sequences were non-coding and of no identifiable homology. Expression of several genes associated with cryoprotectant accumulation was altered during cold acclimation. Of note, glycerol kinase expression decreased with cold exposure, possibly promoting accumulation of glycerol, whereas glucose export was transcriptionally promoted by upregulation of glucose-6-phosphatase and downregulation of genes of various glycolytic enzymes. Several genes related to heat shock protein response, DNA repair, and the ubiquitin proteasome pathway were upregulated in cold and frozen frogs, whereas genes involved in responses to oxidative stress and anoxia, both potential sources of cellular damage during freezing, were downregulated or unchanged. Our study is the first to report transcriptomic responses to low temperature exposure in a freeze-tolerant vertebrate. The hepatic transcriptome of Dryophytes chrysoscelis is responsive to cold and freezing. Transcriptomic regulation of genes related to particular pathways, such as glycerol biosynthesis, were not all regulated in parallel. The physiological demands associated with cold and freezing, as well as the transcriptomic responses observed in this study, are shared with several organisms that face similar ecophysiological challenges, suggesting common regulatory mechanisms. The role of transcriptional regulation relative to other cellular processes, and of non-coding transcripts as elements of those responses, deserve further study.
Therapeutic Targeting of Autophagy for Renal Cell Carcinoma Therapy

Kidney cancer is the 7th most prevalent form of cancer in the United States with the vast majority of cases being classified as renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Multiple targeted therapies have been developed to treat RCC, but efficacy and resistance remain a challenge. In recent years, the modulation of autophagy has been shown to augment the cytotoxicity of approved RCC therapeutics and overcome drug resistance. Inhibition of autophagy blocks a key nutrient recycling process that cancer cells utilize for cell survival following periods of stress including chemotherapeutic treatment. Classic autophagy inhibitors such as chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have been introduced into phase I/II clinical trials, while more experimental compounds are moving forward in preclinical development. Here we examine the current state and future directions of targeting autophagy to improve the efficacy of RCC therapeutics.
A 40 years journey with fish spermatozoa as companions as I personally experienced it

When, in the 1980s, I became interested in the spermatology of fish under the light microscope, active spermatozoa were only visible thanks to their head presenting a sort of "tremor." This situation was quite frustrating given the lack of possible information regarding the motor part called flagellum. We decided to apply simple technologies, including photography. Due to the high speed of the moving fish flagellum, the microscope illumination used a pulsed light strobe combined with a dark field microscope to record the flagellum image despite its small diameter (< 0.5 μm). Then came high-speed cinematographic microscopy up to 200 fps, as well as video cameras. At the end of the 1990s, an automatic moving object video tracking system began to be commercialized (CASA) with main advantages such as (a) a large number of cells tracked, which greatly improves statistics, (b) computer assistance allowing an automatic analysis that provides many motility parameters. Nevertheless, CASA systems are still unable to provide information about fish sperm flagella that move fast. During the 1990s, analog video camera technologies allowed acquisition of flagellum images with high resolution for detailed analysis. Since the 2000s, the use of high-speed video cameras allows the acquisition of images at a much higher resolution and frequency, up to 10,000 frames per second. Since it became possible to visualize the flagella in motion, a noble function was added to that of a propeller: that of a rudder with what a spermatozoon responds to specific signals delivered by the egg for its guidance. In the future, one can wish that an automatic flagella movement analyzer will become functional. This brief anthology puts forward the large amount of progress accomplished during past 40-year period about spermatozoa movement analysis, especially in fish.
Survival and risk of recurrence of takotsubo syndrome.

Objective The goal of this study is to evaluate the long-term outcomes of patients with takotsubo syndrome and assess factors associated with death or recurrence. Methods This is a retrospective population-based cohort study of consecutive patients who presented to an integrated health system in Southern California with takotsubo syndrome between 2006 and 2016. Medical records were manually reviewed to confirm diagnosis and to identify predisposing factors, medication treatment and long-term outcomes. Factors associated with death or recurrent takotsubo syndrome were tested using Cox regression models. Results Between 2006 and 2016, there were 519 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of takotsubo syndrome. Patients were followed for 5.2 years (IQR 3.0–7.2). During the follow-up period, 39 (7.5%) had recurrent takotsubo syndrome and 84 (16.2%) died. In multivariate modelling, factors associated with higher risk of recurrence or death were age (HR 1.56 per 10-year increase, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.87), male sex (HR 2.52, 95% CI 1.38 to 4.60), diabetes (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.43), pulmonary disease (HR 2.0, 95% CI 1.37 to 2.91) and chronic kidney disease (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.47). Treatment with beta-blockers were associated with lower risk of recurrence or death (HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.72). No association was observed between treatment with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers and recurrence or death (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.59 to 1.42). Conclusions Recurrent takotsubo syndrome occurred in a minor subset of patients. Treatment with beta-blocker was associated with higher event-free survival.
Solid-state ionics: The key to the discovery and domination of lithium batteries: some learnings from β-alumina and titanium disulfide

Solid-state ionics, the study of fast ion transport in solids, expanded explosively after the discovery of sodium ion transport in β-alumina 50 years ago and has revolutionized energy storage. Lithium-ion batteries have come from a dream with titanium disulfide to enabling the communications revolution and are enabling renewable energy. Much can be learned from these early studies that will allow the attainment of a fossil-free society and a sustainable environment.
The trajectory of racial/ethnic disparities in the use of cancer screening before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A large U.S. academic center analysis.

Cancer screening rates declined sharply early in the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the pandemic may have exacerbated existing disparities in cancer screening due to the disproportionate burden of illness and job loss among racial/ ethnic minorities, and potentially, uneven resumption of care between different racial/ ethnic groups. Using electronic health record data from Mass General Brigham (MGB), we assessed changes in rates of breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer screening before and during the pandemic. Among patients who received primary care in an MGB-affiliated primary care practice, cancer screening rates were calculated as the number of individuals who received a screening test for each cancer type over the number of individuals due for each test, during each month between April 2019-November 2020. We conducted an interrupted time-series analysis to test for changes in screening rates by race/ethnicity before and during the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, relative to White individuals, Asian women were less likely to receive breast cancer screening (p < 0.001), and Latinx and Black individuals were less likely to screen for lung cancer (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02). Our results did not show significant improvement or worsening of racial/ethnic disparities for any cancer screening type as screening resumed. However, as of November 2020 rates of screening for breast cancer were lower than pre-pandemic levels for Latinx individuals, and lung cancer screening rates were higher than baseline for Latinx, Black or White individuals. Further monitoring of disparities in cancer screening is warranted as the pandemic evolves.
Rotator cuff repair in HIV-positive patients ages 65 and older: only slight increase in risk of general postoperative surgical complications.

To examine postoperative complications associated with rotator cuff repair (RCR) in HIV-positive patients ages 65 and older. Data were collected from the Medicare Standardized Analytic Files between 2005 and 2015 using the PearlDiver Patient Records Database. Subjects were selected using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. Demographics including age, sex, medical comorbidities, and smoking status were collected. Complications were examined at 7-day, 30-day, and 90-day postoperative time points. Data were examined with univariate and multivariate analyses. The study included 152,114 patients who underwent RCR, with 24,486 (16.1%) patients who were HIV-positive. Following univariate analysis, patients with HIV were observed to be more likely to develop 7-day, 30-day, and 90-day postoperative complications. However, the absolute risk of each complication was quite low for HIV-positive patients. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that within 7 days following surgery, patients with HIV were more likely to develop myocardial infarction (OR 2.5, AR 0.1%) and sepsis (OR 2.5, AR 0.04%). Within 30 days, HIV-positive patients were at increased risk for postoperative anemia (OR 2.8, AR 0.1%), blood transfusion (OR 3.3, AR 0.1%), heart failure (OR 2.3, AR 0.8%), and sepsis (OR 2.7, AR 0.1%). Within 90 days, mechanical complications (OR 2.1, AR 0.1%) were increased in the HIV-positive group. Postoperative complications of RCR occurred at increased rates in the HIV-positive group compared to the HIV-negative group in patients ages 65 and older. In particular, increased risk for myocardial infarction, sepsis, heart failure, anemia, and mechanical complications was noted in HIV-positive patients. However, the actual percentage of patients who experienced each complication was low, indicating RCR is likely safe to perform even in older HIV-positive patients. As more older adults living with HIV present for elective orthopedic procedures, the results of the present study may reassure physicians who are considering RCR as an option for patients in this particular population, while also informing providers about potential complications. III.
Interpretation of capnography.

The anesthetist will get the most information out of a capnograph if it is examined systematically. First, the anesthetist must determine whether exhaled CO2 (i.e., a waveform) is present. The differential diagnosis of absent CO2 includes esophageal intubation, accidental tracheal extubation, disconnection of the breathing circuit, complete obstruction of the endotracheal tube or conducting system (kink, inspissated blood or secretions, extremely severe bronchospasm) or of the breathing circuit, apnea, and cardiac arrest. Second, the shape of the waveform must be analyzed systematically by looking at, and in sequence, phase I (inspiratory baseline, which should be zero); phase II (expiratory upstroke, which should be nearly perpendicular to the inspiratory baseline); phase III (expiratory or alveolar plateau, which should be a straight, nearly horizontal, line); and phase IV (inspiratory downstroke, which should be nearly perpendicular to the inspiratory baseline). This discussion will follow this systematic approach but will emphasize diagnosis that can be obtained from the phase III alveolar plateau.
The effects of exhaustive exercise on thermoregulatory fatigue during cold exposure

Abstract Cold exposure facilitates body heat losses that, unless mitigated by vasoconstriction or shivering, thermogenesis, will cause lower body temperatures. Fatigue associated with chronic overexertion altered both vasoconstriction and shivering responses causing core temperature to decrease when exposed to cold. The question we posed is: do the physiological mechanisms elicited to maintain core body temperature “fatigue”, such that shivering and vasoconstriction are blunted during subsequent cold stress? This overview will focus on findings examining whether multiple stressors (fatigue combined with energy deficit and sleep deprivation over 9 weeks or 72 h) or individual stressors, such as acute exercise (1 h), and chronic exertional fatigue (3–7 days), compromise the ability to maintain thermal balance in the cold. Laboratory studies employed experimental design controls to isolate the effect of exercise from other consequences of exertion (initial core temperature, hypoglycemia) in order to study the independent effect of fatigue on thermoregulatory responses to cold. Results suggest that prior physical exercise may predispose a person to greater heat loss and to experience a larger decline in core temperature when subsequently exposed to cold air. The combination of exercise intensity and duration studied in these experiments did not fatigue the shivering response to cold exposure. Cold-induced increments in circulating norepinephrine, a marker of sympathetic nervous stimulation, appear unaffected by acute or chronic exertional fatigue. However, the possibility that fatigue impairs thermoregulatory responses to cold by mechanisms related to blunted peripheral vasoconstriction to sympathetic nervous stimulation merits further study.
Immunoreactive secretin in gastrointestinal mucosa of several mammalian species

Abstract Immunoreactive secretin in hydrochloric acid extracts is relatively constant in the duodenum and proximal jejunum of pig and dog (3 μg per g), but peaks in the distal duodenum of guinea pig (1 μg per g), no secretin being detectable in the ileum of these species. Secretin is relatively constant throughout the small intestine of the rat and rabbit (0.4 to 0.1 μg per g). Sephadex gel filtration patterns of all species and throughout the gastrointestinal mucosa revealed primarily a single peak with elution characteristics identical with that of purified or synthetic porcine secretin. The "big" secretin prominent in Boots secretin may be an alteration product perhaps attributable to chemicals used to stabilize the preparation. The "intermediate secretin" described by others has not been detected. It is concluded that in a variety of mammalian species most of the immunoreactive secretin extractable from the intestinal tract lies distal to the proximal duodenum and is not distinguishable from duodenal secretin in terms of molecular size.
Melanocortin-4 receptors in the PVN and RVLM are important in mediating cardiovascular responses to acute stress (686.7)

Our previous studies demonstrate an important role for the brain melanocortin system in regulating sympathetic nervous system activity and blood pressure (BP) as well as in modulating BP responses to stress. However, the brain regions involved in melanocortin-4 receptors (MC4R)-mediated modulation of cardiovascular responses to acute stress are unknown. In this study, we examined whether rescue of MC4R specifically in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) or in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) of whole-body MC4R deficient mice (LoxTB-MC4R mice) restores BP response to acute air-jet stress. Using Cre-loxP technology we selectively rescued MC4R in the PVN (LoxTB-MC4R/Sim1, n=5) or RVLM (Cre-RVLM/LoxTB-MC4R mice, n=5). Mice were implanted with telemetry probes for measurement of mean arterial pressure (MAP). After a 10-day recovery period, baseline MAP was measured for 3 consecutive days and during an acute air-jet stress test. MAP was continuously measured for 30 minutes before, duri...
Immunochemistry of the Cell Walls of Listeria monocytogenes

The antigenic specificity of Listeria monocytogenes types I, II, III, IVa, and IVb was studied by immunochemical techniques. Immunologically active carbohydrates of the various types were extracted from cell walls and were chemically analyzed. Types I and II contained predominantly glucosamine and rhamnose; type III, galactose, rhamnose, and glucosamine; and types IVa and IVb, glucose and galactose. Quantitative precipitin inhibition tests with purified monosaccharides indicated that the major antigenic determinant of types I and II is rhamnose. Precipitin reactions could not be detected with type III carbohydrate and homologous or heterologous antisera. The major determinants of types IVa and IVb were found to be galactose and glucose, respectively. As much as 87% inhibition of the quantitative precipitin test for types I and II was obtained with rhamnose, 72% for type IVa with galactose, and 72% for type IVb with glucose. The immunochemical basis for the antigenic specificity of L. monocytogenes types I, II, IVa, and IVb was further confirmed by using agar gel diffusion. Cross-reactions among the various type-specific carbohydrates and heterologous antisera were also studied. Type II carbohydrate was found to contain galactose and react with type IVa antisera. This reaction could be blocked by galactose. Type I carbohydrate did not contain galactose nor did it react with antiserum prepared from type IVa cells. Therefore, the somatic antigens of type I and type II L. monocytogenes, previously thought to be identical, appeared to differ. The dominant immuno-specific group in the cross-reaction between type IVb carbohydrate and type IVa antisera was found to be galactose. Type IVa absorbed antisera did not produce a significant cross-reaction with type IVb carbohydrate. The results obtained from this investigation indicate a lesser degree of antigenic relationship between type IVa and type IVb L. monocytogenes than was previously believed to exist.
Integration of AlGaAs devices

The increased demands for computational power impose heavy requirements on VLSI processing chips. One method to circumvent this problem is the incorporation of a monolithic switching fabric based on opto-electronic circuitry. This added dimension gives an additional degree of freedom to the design engineer. A variety of techniques for heterogeneous integration of AlGaAs opto-electronic devices will be reviewed and their potential for the realization of a VLSI photonic switching fabric will be discuss.
Gender roles, HIV risk behaviors, and perceptions of using female condoms among college students

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between gender roles and HIV risk behavior, and perceptions and acceptance of the female condom among college students (n = 410). It was hypothesized that high hyperfeminine females and high hypermasculine males – those adhering to traditional gender roles – would engage in more HIV risk behaviors, including alcohol and drug use and various sexual practices, than those with lower hyperfemininity and hypermasculinity. It was also hypothesized that higher hyperfeminine females as well as higher hypermasculine males would perceive the female condom more negatively and would be less likely to view the female condom as a viable form of protection in the future. It was also hypothesized that high hyperfeminine females and high hypermasculine males would not accept the female condom as an alternative form of protection. Implications for prevention interventions are discussed.
Uncovering co-expression gene network modules regulating fruit acidity in diverse apples

Acidity is a major contributor to fruit quality. Several organic acids are present in apple fruit, but malic acid is predominant and determines fruit acidity. The trait is largely controlled by the Malic acid (Ma) locus, underpinning which Ma1 that putatively encodes a vacuolar aluminum-activated malate transporter1 (ALMT1)-like protein is a strong candidate gene. We hypothesize that fruit acidity is governed by a gene network in which Ma1 is key member. The goal of this study is to identify the gene network and the potential mechanisms through which the network operates. Guided by Ma1, we analyzed the transcriptomes of mature fruit of contrasting acidity from six apple accessions of genotype Ma_ (MaMa or Mama) and four of mama using RNA-seq and identified 1301 fruit acidity associated genes, among which 18 were most significant acidity genes (MSAGs). Network inferring using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed five co-expression gene network modules of significant (P < 0.001) correlation with malate. Of these, the Ma1 containing module (Turquoise) of 336 genes showed the highest correlation (0.79). We also identified 12 intramodular hub genes from each of the five modules and 18 enriched gene ontology (GO) terms and MapMan sub-bines, including two GO terms (GO:0015979 and GO:0009765) and two MapMap sub-bins (1.3.4 and 1.1.1.1) related to photosynthesis in module Turquoise. Using Lemon-Tree algorithms, we identified 12 regulator genes of probabilistic scores 35.5–81.0, including MDP0000525602 (a LLR receptor kinase), MDP0000319170 (an IQD2-like CaM binding protein) and MDP0000190273 (an EIN3-like transcription factor) of greater interest for being one of the 18 MSAGs or one of the 12 intramodular hub genes in Turquoise, and/or a regulator to the cluster containing Ma1. The most relevant finding of this study is the identification of the MSAGs, intramodular hub genes, enriched photosynthesis related processes, and regulator genes in a WGCNA module Turquoise that not only encompasses Ma1 but also shows the highest modular correlation with acidity. Overall, this study provides important insight into the Ma1-mediated gene network controlling acidity in mature apple fruit of diverse genetic background.
North Atlantic circulation and reservoir age changes over the past 41,000 years

[1] Constraints on the timing of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) changes during the last deglaciation are fundamental to understanding the climate's rapid response to insolation forcing. However, uncertainty about high-latitude North Atlantic (HLNA) radiocarbon reservoir ages has previously precluded robust age model development for this critical region. HLNA reservoir ages also serve as a proxy for AMOC strength. We present regionally averaged HLNA reservoir ages for 0 to 41 thousand years before the present (kyr BP) based on over 500 radiocarbon dates from 33 North Atlantic cores. An early deglacial increase to >1000 14C yr reservoir ages between 18.5 and 16.5 kyr BP suggests reduced AMOC before peak Heinrich Stadial 1 (HS1) ice-rafted debris (IRD). A rapid decrease in reservoir ages coincident with the IRD maximum at 16 kyr BP indicates strong stratification of the upper water column caused by massive freshwater release.
The roles assigned to females and males in non-music radio programming

This article summarizes a content analysis of the non-music programming of two Top 40 radio stations in a metropolitan market, targeting adolescents. The content analyzed was recorded during times when, according to Arbitron Ratings, 12 to 17 year olds are the primary listeners (weekdays 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.; 7 p.m. to midnight; and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). Research questions focused on the roles assigned to males and females in non-music content. Findings indicate that males dominate as DJs, newscasters, voiceovers in advertisements, sportscasters, and weathercasters. Females dominate as traffic reporters and audience participants. In addition, an analysis of the terms used to identify males and females throughout the non-music content indicates that females are referred to primarily by their family roles (wife, mother, daughter, sister), women, or as ladies while males are primarily referred to as guys, sir, or Mr.
New Distribution Records and Seasonal Emergence Pattern of Corydalus cornutus (Linnaeus) (Megaloptera: Corydalidae) in West Virginia, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT: The eastern North American dobsonfly, Corydalus cornutus (L.), is reported for the first time from 25 counties in West Virginia, U.S.A. Additionally, 30 previous county records from West Virginia are included in this investigation. Larvae, known as hellgrammites, have been recorded from 100% of the counties in the state. The emergence period for dobsonflies in West Virginia extends from 16 June (Kanawha County) to 5 August (Jefferson County).
Useful parameters for the design of laser pointer interaction techniques

This paper reports on some fundamental parameters for the design of wall-based laser pointer interaction techniques. Ten users participated in this study and their laser points were tracked and recorded by a computer. The data collected were then processed and statistically analyzed to provide parameters like the size of the dwell of a laser point, the time taken to acquire a target and the time required to determine a dwell on a target. These numbers are needed when designing interaction techniques that use a laser pointer.
Determination of the piezoelectric/ pyroelectric response of polytrifluorovinyl acetate and other piezoelectric materials

The piezoelectric and pyroelectric response characteristics for a variety of polymers and crystalline reference materials were correlated with their refractive index (n) and McGinniss equation x′ values. A general predictive relationship was developed using these n and x′ parameters which was then used to estimate the piezoelectric d and g constants for polytrifluorovinyl acetate. The predicted d and g values (8 × 10−12 CN−1 and 180 × 10−3 V m N−1) were then compared with the actual experimentally determined d and g values (11 × 10−12 CN−1 and 100 × 10−3 V m N−1) for polytrifluorovinyl acetate. Similar studies (physical and electrical property correlations with chemical structures and experimental verification of the correlations) were carried out for determining the pyroelectric coefficient of polytrifluorovinyl acetate. The McGinniss equation was shown to exhibit a higher degree of accuracy in correlating physical/electrical properties of polymers with their chemical structures as compared with other similar chemical structure/ property correlation relationships reported in the literature.
Apparent and standardized ileal digestibility of amino acids in gelatin-based diets by growing pigs

Abstract A study was conducted with the objectives of measuring the coefficients of ileal apparent digestibility (CIAD) and coefficients of ileal standardized digestibility (CISD) of amino acids (AA) in two gelatin-based diets and in soybean meal by growing pigs. Four individually housed pigs (initial BW: 44.1 ± 1.45 kg) were equipped with T-cannulas in the distal ileum. Two diets based on gelatin of either pork or beef origin were formulated using mainly corn starch, sucrose, and gelatin. These diets were fortified with l -histidine, l -isoleucine, dl -methionine, and l -tryptophan. Two additional diets were formulated: one included soybean meal as the only AA-containing ingredient, and the other was a nitrogen-free (N-free) diet. The N-free diet was used to estimate the basal endogenous losses of crude protein (CP) and AA by the pigs. Chromic oxide (4 g/kg) was included in all diets as an indigestible marker. Each of the four diets was fed to each of the four pigs during a 7-day period with digesta being collected in 10 h periods on day-6 and day-7. The CIAD and CISD of CP and AA in the two gelatin-based diets were compared to the CIAD and CISD in soybean meal. Results of the experiment showed that there was no difference ( P > 0.05) in CIAD and CISD for any of the indispensable AA between the pork gelatin-based diet and soybean meal. The beef gelatin-based diet had a lower CIAD for His and Thr, and a lower CISD for Thr compared to soybean meal ( P P > 0.05) for the remaining indispensable AA were observed. It is concluded that the AA in both pork and beef gelatin are highly digestible and both these feed ingredients may be used as a protein source in diets for growing pigs provided that crystalline His, Ile, Met and Trp are added to balance the indispensable AA.
PROTECTIVE FUNCTION OF MILK LIPIDS AND LIPID CONJUGATES IN THE NEWBORN. 22

Most nutrients in human milk have multiple functions, among them the protection of the infant from invading micro-organisms (1). This symposium will address the topic of immune protection, i.e. specific antibody-mediated protection against micro-organisms and the much broader non specific protection which, contrary to the former, is independent of prior maternal exposure to micro-organisms. In this category there are milk components that act as analogs or homologues to host cell surface pathogen receptors(glycoproteins, gangliosides, proteins) have specific bactericidal and antiviral activity (lactoferrin) or are able to lyse micro-organisms(lysozyme, fatty acids and monoglycerides) (2). Lipid conjugates such as gangliosides in the milk fat globule membrane inhibit the action of the heat stable enterotoxins of V-cholerae and E coli. Milk lipids acquire the potential to lyse micro-organisms after their partial digestion to free fatty acids and monoglycerides (3). The fat contained in the core of milk fat globules is more accessible to gastric lipolysis than the fat in infant formula. Indeed hydrolysis of dietary fat is 1.7 to 2.5 fold higher in human milk-fed than in formula-fed infants (4). The free fatty acids and monoglycerides released cause rapid lysis of enveloped viruses, protozoa and certain bacteria. Highest lytic activity is associated with lauric and (C 12:0) and monolaurin and with long chain unsaturated fatty acids (C 18:2). Storage of milk, even at -20 C, releases large amounts of free fatty acids(5),that might lower viral and bacterial counts during frozen storage of human milk. The milk fat globule is an important protective factor through its core triglyceride (after lipolysis) and through the globule membrane gangliosides and glycoproteins (6).
Drug smuggling raises medical and legal issues.

Smugglers are swallowing massive amounts of cocaine packaged in balloons or condoms. The treatment is controversial. And then there are ethical and legal questions.
Severe gastric mucosa injury after percutaneous pure ethanol injection therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

It is recognized that treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by infusion chemotherapy or transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TAE) frequently resulted in injury to the gastric mucosa, although in most cases this is not clinically significant.1-4 Percutaneous pure ethanol injection (PEI) has been shown to be a simple and effective method for ablation of hepatic tumors.5-8 Animal studies have suggested that side effects of PEI are usually confined to the liver, even after injection of
Ascorbic acid prevents 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-induced hydroxyl radical formation and the behavioral and neurochemical consequences of the depletion of brain 5-HT.

MDMA-induced 5-HT neurotoxicity has been proposed to involve oxidative stress due to increased formation of hydroxyl radicals. Recently, MDMA-induced 5-HT neurotoxicity has been shown to be accompanied by a suppression of behavioral and neurochemical responses to a subsequent injection of MDMA. The intent of the present study was to examine whether suppression of the MDMA-induced formation of hydroxyl radicals by an antioxidant, ascorbic acid, attenuates both the MDMA-induced depletion of 5-HT and the functional consequences associated with this depletion. Treatment of rats with ascorbic acid suppressed the generation of hydroxyl radicals, as evidenced by the production of 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid from salicylic acid, in the striatum during the administration of a neurotoxic regimen of MDMA. Ascorbic acid also attenuated the MDMA-induced depletion of striatal 5-HT content. In rats treated with a neurotoxic regimen of MDMA, the ability of a subsequent injection of MDMA to increase the extracellular concentration of 5-HT in the striatum, elicit the 5-HT behavioral syndrome, and produce hyperthermia was markedly reduced compared to the responses in control rats. The concomitant administration of ascorbic acid with the neurotoxic regimen of MDMA prevented the diminished neurochemical and behavioral responses to a subsequent injection of MDMA. Finally, a neurotoxic regimen of MDMA produced significant reductions in the concentrations of vitamin E and ascorbic acid in the striatum and hippocampus. Thus, the MDMA-induced depletion of brain 5-HT and the functional consequences thereof appear to involve the induction of oxidative stress resulting from an increased generation of free radicals and diminished antioxidant capacity of the brain.
Translocations between eu- and heterochromatic chromosomes, and spermatocytes lacking a heterochromatic set in male mealy bugs.

In male mealy bugs the chromosomes of paternal origin become heterochromatic (H) early in embryogeny while those of maternal origin remain euchromatic (E). First instarPseudococcus obscurus Essig males which were irradiated with 3000 r of X-rays carried translocations between E and H chromosomes [T(E;H)'s] in their spermatocytes. In the T(E;H)'s the border between the E and H segments was usually quite sharp, but occasionally short E segments may have become either partially or completely heterochromatic. During the second meiotic division the E and H sets normally segregate to opposite poles. The T(E;H)'s often formed bridges in AII and TII, but in most of the cells they did succeed in reaching one of the poles. The segregation of the T(E;H)'s depended on the relative size of their E and H segments. When the E and H segments were of the same size, the T(E;H)'s segregated more often with the E chromosomes, even though the latter have been observed to be attached to their pole with fewer spindle fibers. Thirty-five of the 173 males analyzed had sectors in their testes which lacked an H set. The number of cysts per sector suggested that each sector was derived from a single irradiated cell. The karyotypes observed in some of the sectors indicated that the lack of an H set was the result of reversal of heterochromatization and not due to the loss of the H set and the endoduplication of the E set. Most of the cells lacking an H set divided normally during the first meiotic division. The second division, however, was abortive and resulted in the production of diploid sperm. Two possibilities for the origin of spermatocytes lacking an H set are considered: (i) that these spermatocytes resulted from X-ray induced reversal of heterochromatization in spermatogonia, and (ii) that these spermatocytes originated from presumptive cyst wall cells whose H set had undergone reversal prior to the irradiation.
An Amynodont Skull from the Sespe Deposits, California.

The Perissodactyla known to occur in the Sespe deposits, north of the Simi Valley, California, include representatives of the Brontotheriidae and Rhinocerotoidea. The Equide remain as yet absent from the record. Within the rhinocerotid division are at present recognized members of both the cursorial and aquatic groups. The collections include a fairly large number of specimens belonging to the Amynodontidae, among which is the fine skull here described.
A mean value theorem for discriminants of abelian extensions of a number field

Abstract Let k be an algebraic number field and let N ( k , C l ; m ) denote the number of abelian extensions K of k with G ( K / k ) ≅ C l , the cyclic group of prime order l, and the relative discriminant D ( K / k ) of norm equal to m. In this paper, we derive an asymptotic formula for ∑ m ⩽ X N ( k , C l ; m ) using the class field theory and a method, developed by Wright. We show that our result is identical to a result of Cohen, Diaz y Diaz and Olivier, obtained by methods of classical algebraic number theory, although our methods allow for a more elegant treatment and reduce a global calculation to a series of local calculations.
Constitutive equation for solidification

Abstract A constitutive equation for the solidification of a liquid is proposed that is suitable for finite element models. This equation is shown to be consistant with cellular/dendritic mechanisms. The cell size and d -arm spacing as function of cooling rate can be used to determine the parameters in the constitutive law. Extremum entropy production is then used to show relative stability of solidification mechanism.
The role of parity status on cigarette smoke-induced modulation of anti-tumor immune mechanisms.

Epidemiologic studies indicate that women who smoke cigarettes are more likely to experience adverse reproductive and immunological health effects. Despite these facts, 20–30% of American women still smoke during their reproductive years. As little is known of the relationship between smoking and the immune response during pregnancy, an investigation was conducted using parous and non-parous (virgin) B6C3F1 mice to investigate what role (if any) parity status had on cigarette smoke (CS) induced effects on immune functions important in surveillance against developing tumors. Pregnant mice were exposed to CS for 5 d/wk ( 4 hr/d) from gestational day 4 to parturition; virgin mice were exposed for an equivalent amount of time. Smoke- and parity-associated alterations in pulmonary histology and lung inflammation, along with tumor cell host resistance, and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity were examined either 24- 48 hr or 5 wk post-exposure/parturition; in the parous mice, gestational parameters were also ...
The pattern of cytoplasmic IgM expression in the context of the three currently recognised maturational stages of hematogones

Hematogones are physiologic B-cell precursors found in the bone marrow (BM). They vary in number and are more commonly seen in pediatric patients and in reactive or regenerative conditions [1]. The...