cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A maize polygalacturonase functions as a suppressor of programmed cell death in plants

The hypersensitive defense response (HR) in plants is a fast, localized necrotic response around the point of pathogen ingress. HR is usually triggered by a pathogen recognition event mediated by a nucleotide-binding site, leucine-rich repeat (NLR) protein. The autoactive maize NLR gene Rp1-D21 confers a spontaneous HR response in the absence of pathogen recognition. Previous work identified a set of loci associated with variation in the strength of Rp1-D21-induced HR. A polygalacturonase gene homolog, here termed ZmPGH1, was identified as a possible causal gene at one of these loci on chromosome 7. Expression of ZmPGH1 inhibited the HR-inducing activity of both Rp1-D21 and that of another autoactive NLR, RPM1(D505V), in a Nicotiana benthamiana transient expression assay system. Overexpression of ZmPGH1 in a transposon insertion line of maize was associated with suppression of chemically-induced programmed cell death and with suppression of HR induced by Rp1-D21 in maize plants grown in the field. ZmPGH1 functions as a suppressor of programmed cell death induced by at least two autoactive NLR proteins and by two chemical inducers. These findings deepen our understanding of the control of the HR in plants.
A review of life cycle assessment of buildings using a systematic approach

Abstract There is increasing interest in the study of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of buildings, which entails an estimate of the potential environmental impacts and resource use of buildings. This is driven by increasing awareness of the environmental impact of buildings, as well as the emergence of enabling tools for their assessment. There are review articles on building LCA (see Table 1) but none focuses on the challenges of building LCA, ongoing studies and potential solutions to address the challenges. The aim of this paper is to provide an up-to-date systematic review of life cycle assessment of buildings, and to discuss the major challenges in building LCA, ongoing studies and potential solutions to resolve the identified issues. The methodology involves a detailed literature review to provide an overview of existing studies in building LCA, and a systematic selection and study of review articles/books to investigate the benefits and challenges of building LCA. A summary of the research outputs and recommended further studies on building LCA are outlined in the conclusion section. The major challenges in building LCA were identified as data intensity and quality, subjectivity in environmental impact characterization and valuation, inadequate definition of functional units, assumptions for building life span and service life, lack of procedure for system boundaries, lack of uncertainty analysis, and limitation as a decision-making tool. In addition to discussing ongoing studies to address the issues, this study also proposes research trajectories to resolve the major challenges identified in building LCA.
Dual dose-dependent effects of fingolimod in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Lipid metabolism is abnormal in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain leading to ceramide and sphingosine accumulation and reduced levels of brain sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). We hypothesize that changes in S1P signaling are central to the inflammatory and immune-pathogenesis of AD and the therapeutic benefits of fingolimod, a structural analog of sphingosine that is FDA approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. We recently reported that the neuroprotective effects of fingolimod in 5xFAD transgenic AD mice treated from 1–3 months of age were greater at 1 mg/kg/day than at 5 mg/kg/day. Here we performed a dose-response study using fingolimod from 0.03 to 1 mg/kg/day in 5xFAD mice treated from 1–8 months of age. At 1 mg/kg/day, fingolimod decreased both peripheral blood lymphocyte counts and brain Aβ levels, but at the lowest dose tested (0.03 mg/kg/day), we detected improved memory, decreased activation of brain microglia and astrocytes, and restored hippocampal levels of GABA and glycerophosphocholine with no effect on circulating lymphocyte counts. These findings suggests that, unlike the case in multiple sclerosis, fingolimod may potentially have therapeutic benefits in AD at low doses that do not affect peripheral lymphocyte function.
Two species of Ceradocus collected from coastal areas in Japan, with description of a new species (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Maeridae).

Two species of the amphipod genus Ceradocus Costa, 1853 were collected from coastal areas in Japan: C. kiiensis sp. nov. from Wakayama Prefecture and C. laevis Olerod, 1970 from Okinawa Prefecture. Both of the species share the asymmetrical male gnathopod 2, the larger male gnathopod 2 with strongly oblique palm and the uropod 3 with wide rami. Ceradocus kiiensis also has the palm with a single excavation in the larger male gnathopod 2 and the pleonites 1-3 with many dorsal teeth. This new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the absence of the anterodistal projection on the basis of the larger male gnathopod 2, the presence of the posterior teeth on the pleonal epimera 1-2, and others. Ceradocus laevis is characterized by the palm having triangular and small trapezoidal projections in the larger male gnathopod 2, the pereopods 5-7 bases with rounded posterodistal lobe, the pleonites and urosomites lacking dorsal teeth, and the pleonal epimera 1-2 without posterior teeth. This species can be easily distinguished from C. kiiensis by the smooth dorsal margins of the pleonites. A key to Ceradocus species in Japan is provided.
Year of the LGBTQ Candidate? LGBTQ State Legislative Candidates in the Trump Era

The Trump era has facilitated the emergence of a strong backlash against the successes of the LGBTQ movement. However, the politics of this era also motivated a record number of LGBTQ candidates to run for public office. We examine the electoral performance of these candidates in the 2018 election cycle relative to non-LGBTQ candidates employing state legislative election data from partisan election states in the updated State Legislative Election Returns (SLERs) database. We also conduct a brief case study of elections in Virginia, which led to the nation's first transgender state legislative representative taking office, to understand how a number of LGBTQ candidates overcame seemingly long electoral odds in 2017. Drawing on recent research on public attitudes toward LGBTQ rights, we expect to find that most LGBTQ candidates for state legislative seats rode on a Democratic wave and did not experience an electoral deficit for being LGBTQ.
Data of soil, vegetation and bird species found on double-crested cormorant colonies in the southeastern United States.

Abstract This data article provides the methods and procedures followed to collect and analyse soil, vegetation and bird data on three different treatment islands in Guntersville Reservoir, Alabama. Samples were collected from randomly selected plot points from islands that were placed into three different treatment types: Colony (currently occupied by Double-crested Cormorants) (Phalacrocorax auritus; n = 5), Historic (historically occupied by cormorants and currently abandoned; n = 3) and Reference (never occupied by cormorants; n = 4). We compared vegetation and tree metrics such as structure and diversity, as well as soil chemistry and bird diversity and communities among islands within Guntersville Reservoir. These data document for the first time that we are aware of the long-term effects of soil chemistry changes, vegetation changes, and impacts to avian diversity, in temperate forest ecosystems, by cormorant colonies. All data is associated with the recent article by Veum et al. [1] and provided here as raw data.
Impact of neuromuscular re-education and deep pressure massaging on preterm infants growth

Background: Neuromuscular re-education (NMRe) including passive range of motion, joint compression, facilitation to elicit muscle activation, and myofascial release, and deep pressure messaging (dPM), and weight bearing has been introduced in the care of preterm infants to enhance growth, joint mobility and reduce neuromuscular rigidity in recent years. Objective: This is a pilot study to examine the immediate impact of …
Investigating Energy Flow in Water-Energy Storage for Hydropower Generation in Water Distribution Systems

Quantifying excess energy using an energy balance model is the key to designing and operating an energy-efficient water distribution system (WDS). Excess energy, which can be recovered instantly or stored in a water-energy storage is the basis to estimate hydropower potential in the system. For a given WDS with its demand, how the excess energy can be managed efficiently to design a water-energy storage to maximize hydropower generation is the focus of this paper. A single-objective optimization model has been developed to optimize the dimensions for up to six water-energy storages for maximizing hydropower generation while minimizing the pumping energy. While the ratio of total energy recovered to total pumping energy is found to be about 40% for all water-energy configurations, the recovered specific energy ranges from 0.116 kWh/m3 to 0.121 kWh/m3 showing the potential use of WDS as an energy storage. Results show that hydropower generation increases with the increase of number of storages up to a certain number representing the constraints of constant drinking water demand and storage dimensions. In-pipe turbines with pump operation for minimizing pumping energy can offer the optimal solution for WDS energy management. A higher number of storages with in-pipe turbines offers uniformity in pressure distribution resulting increase in system robustness.
Social influence of adult children on parental health behavior among South Asian immigrants: findings from the MASALA (Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America) study.

Objectives: Examine the social influence of adult children on the cardiovascular-related health behaviors of older South Asian (SA) immigrants to inform lifestyle interventions.Design: This mixed-m...
TMEM184B controls pruriceptor specification and function

Summary Nociceptive and pruriceptive neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) convey sensations of pain and itch to the spinal cord, respectively. A sub-population of these neurons, marked by Somatostatin (Sst) expression, is responsible for detecting the cytokine IL-31, a mediator of acute itch and atopic dermatitis. The mechanisms responsible for specifying this population are largely unknown. Here we show that Tmem184b, a gene with known roles in axon degeneration and nerve terminal maintenance, is required for the expression of a substantial cohort of receptors, including IL31RA, that mediate acute itch. Mice lacking Tmem184b fail to respond to IL-31, but maintain normal responses to pain and mechanical force, suggesting a specific defect in pruriception. The number of Sst+ neurons is reduced in Tmem184b-mutant mice, indicating a likely defect in neuron subtype specification. Rescue experiments in adults versus embryonic neurons support a primary role for TMEM184B during development. We evaluated DRG gene expression across embryonic and early postnatal development and found that levels of Wnt signaling components are significantly reduced in embryonic DRG from Tmem184b-mutants and restored upon re-expression of Tmem184b. In summary, we have identified a mechanism controlled by TMEM184B that gates proper specification of pruriceptive neurons in the DRG through control of Wnt signaling. TMEM184B is thus critical for proper pruriceptive development and adult somatosensation.
Vaping-associated esophagitis

Vaping, or e-cigarettes, heat nicotine and other chemicals to create a vapor that is inhaled. The practice has gained rapid popularity with 41 million people globally reporting regular or occasional use. Although tobacco smoking is well-known to increase esophageal acid exposure by augmenting the number of reflux events, the effects of vaping on the gastrointestinal tract have not yet been elucidated. Our objective is to report a case of severe esophagitis associated with vaping, which is the first in the literature to our knowledge. A 25-year-old male with a history of well-controlled gastro-esophageal reflux disease presented to the emergency room for evaluation of one week of severe odynophagia. He had been treated with a proton-pump inhibitor for several years with good effect. Approximately two months prior to presentation, he started vaping tetrahydrocannabinol and nicotine with recent heavy daily use. He denied any alcohol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. We performed esophagogastroduodenoscopy that revealed Los Angeles Grade C esophagitis (involving ≥ 1 mucosal breaks continuous between tops of ≥ 2 mucosal folds, < 75% circumferential). Histopathological analysis of esophageal biopsies demonstrated granulation tissue with acute and chronic inflammation. Periodic acid-Schiff-diastase staining was negative and immunohistochemical stains for herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus were negative. There was no evidence of eosinophilic esophagitis. We treated him with intravenous PPI and analgesics until he was able to tolerate oral intake. He was counseled extensively on vaping cessation and reported complete resolution of symptoms after 2 months. This patient’s presentation illustrates a serious gastrointestinal consequence of vaping, the long-term consequences of which warrant additional studies. Like smoking, the mechanism of injury in vaping may be, at least in part, due to the effects of nicotine. As prevalence of vaping continues to rise, clinicians should be aware of this complication and carefully solicit a patient’s vaping history as a simple denial of “smoking” can be misleading.
Non-functional water clear cell parathyroid carcinoma masquerading as medullary thyroid carcinoma

Abstract Parathyroid carcinoma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor. Non-functional parathyroid carcinomas are exceedingly rare neoplasms which generally present at an advanced disease stage, and occasionally can masquerade as medullary thyroid carcinoma.
Lobectomy for acquired lobar emphysema months following newborn repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Abstract Chronic lung disease is a known morbidity of congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair. Although described as a diffuse lung process, we present a case of localized lobar emphysema in a child with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair successfully treated with lobectomy. We aim to describe this unique clinical manifestation, detail the intraoperative findings, and describe the successful postoperative course.
Organizational Structure and Decision-Making in Corporate Venture Capital

This paper studies corporate venture capital (CVC) units of large US corporations to learn how they make decisions across several areas: internal organization of CVC units, relationships with parent companies, CVC unit objectives, investment process and approval, deal structure, relationship with portfolio companies, compensation, and composition of CVC teams. The study is conducted by interviewing senior team members of seventy-four CVC units, representing 78% of the active CVC units of companies in the S&P 500 index. CVC units are organized in significantly more diverse ways than institutional VC firms. Unlike institutional VC firms, most CVC units do not manage committed venture funds, but instead invest from the balance sheets of their parent companies. Investment committees, in which parent company executives play a pivotal role in approving individual decisions, are common. Many corporate venture capitalists (CVCs) believe executives at their parent companies do not understand the norms of the venture space. The demographic composition of senior team members at CVC units is very different than that of their counterparts at institutional VC firms. The results raise a number of issues about the economic role of CVC units in corporate innovation.
Fluctuating hydrodynamics of chiral active fluids

Active materials are characterized by continuous injection of energy at the microscopic level and typically cannot be adequately described by equilibrium thermodynamics. Here we study a class of active fluids in which equilibrium-like properties emerge when fluctuating and activated degrees of freedom are statistically decoupled, such that their mutual information is negligible. We analyse three paradigmatic systems: chiral active fluids composed of spinning frictional particles that are free to translate, oscillating granular gases and active Brownian rollers. In all of these systems, a single effective temperature generated by activity parameterizes both the equation of state and the emergent Boltzmann statistics. The same effective temperature, renormalized by velocity correlations, relates viscosities to steady-state stress fluctuations via a Green–Kubo relation. To rationalize these observations, we develop a theory for the fluctuating hydrodynamics of these non-equilibrium fluids and validate it through large-scale molecular dynamics simulations. Our work sheds light on the microscopic origin of odd viscosities and stress fluctuations characteristic of parity-violating fluids, in which mirror symmetry and detailed balance are broken. Active fluids exhibit properties reminiscent of equilibrium systems when their degrees of freedom are statistically decoupled. A theory for the fluctuating hydrodynamics of these fluids offers a probe of their anomalous transport coefficients.
Validation of mammographic texture analysis for assessment of breast cancer risk

The purpose of this study was to evaluate, using full-field digital mammography (FFDM), our prior computerized texture analysis method that was developed on screen-film mammography method The evaluation included the analyses on the parenchymal patterns of women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations and of women at low risk of developing breast cancer A total of 180 cases, including 80 women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations and 100 low-risk women, were retrospectively collected under an institutional review board approved protocol Images were obtained with a GE Senographe 2000D FFDM system with 0.1 mm pixel size and 12-bit quantization Regions-of-interest (ROIs), 256 pixels by 256 pixels in size, were manually selected from the central breast region immediately behind the nipple The ROIs were used in subsequent computerized feature extraction to assess the mammographic parenchymal patterns in the images Various mammographic parenchyma features based on local composition, gray-level histogram analysis, spatial relationship among gray-levels, fractal analysis, edge frequency analysis, and Fourier analysis, were automatically extracted from these ROIs Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the performance of the computerized texture features in the task of distinguishing between gene-mutation carriers and low-risk subjects Computerized texture analysis on digital mammograms demonstrated that gene-mutation carriers and low-risk women have different mammographic parenchymal patterns In addition, in a round-robin-by-case evaluation with the FFDM dataset with linear discriminant analysis, an AUC value of 0.88 was obtained Our results indicate the transferability of these radiographic biomarkers for breast cancer risk assessment from SFM to FFDM.
Electrical Stimulation of the Anterior and Centromedian Nucleus of Thalamus for Treatment of Refractory Epilepsy _ Report of Four Cases (P7.279)

OBJECTIVE: To report on the outcome after thalamic anterior nuclei (AN) and centromedian (CM) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in four medically refractory epilepsy patients, who were either not candidates for resection surgery or refractory to the treatment of vagus nerve stimulation and/or resection surgery. BACKGROUND: Experimental and clinical studies have suggested that electrical DBS of subcortical structures is a promising therapy for patients with refractory epilepsy. Bilateral stimulation of the AN of the thalamus is useful for some patients with medically refractory partial seizure, while the efficacy of bilateral CM nucleus stimulation in generalized forms of epilepsy has been recently identified. DESIGN/METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 4 patients from the Mayo Clinic DBS Program database with medically refractory epilepsy who underwent bilateral AN and CM DBS. Two patients were admitted to Epilepsy Monitor Unit for further DBS programming based on their EEG recording results. RESULTS: One male and three female patients with median age of 14 years (range 5-19 years) at surgery underwent DBS. Median duration of epileptic history was 11 years (range 4-18 years). All patients recuperated well from the surgical procedure and post-operative MRI documented that all electrodes were correctly located. Average postoperative follow-up was 16 months (range 13-18 months). The average seizure frequency reduction was 63 percent. One patient had been seizure free for 12 months. Additionally, one patient experienced wound dehiscence requiring revision of the generator; otherwise no complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that bilateral stimulation of the AN and CM of the thalamus could potentially reduce seizures in medically refractory epilepsy patients who were either refractory to vagus nerve stimulation, or not candidates for resective surgery. DBS programming based on EEG recording results in Epilepsy Monitor Unit is useful for seizure management. Study Supported by: Disclosure: Dr. Hu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Klassen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Clayton has nothing to disclose. Dr. Stead has nothing to disclose.
Sperm‐Egg Interaction

A study in vitro of interactions between uncapacitated rat spermatozoa and freshly ovulated rat oocytes showed that testicular spermatozoa were unable to adhere to the zona pellucida. On the other hand, spermatozoa from the cauda epididymidis adhered readily to the zona surface. Experiments with cauda spermatozoa, immobilized by a preincubation at 0 C, indicated that they were still able to attach to the zona pellucida, suggesting that the inability of testicular spermatozoa to interact with the zona was not primarily due to their lack of motility but rather to a defect in adhesive properties of the plasma membrane. Preincubation of testicular spermatozoa, with a purified glycoprotein secreted by the epididymis (PES), increased somewhat the ability of testicular spermatozoa to interact with the zona surface. These results show that epididymal spermatozoa acquire the ability to recognize and interact with the zona pellucida as they pass through the epididymis, and suggest that sperm coating with an androgen-dependent and specific glycoprotein, secreted by the epididymis, may regulate the initial contact with the egg investments.
A model-based approach for the analysis of the calibration of probability judgments.

The calibration of probability or confidence judgments concerns the association between the judgments and some estimate of the correct probabilities of events. Researchers rely on estimates using relative frequencies computed by aggregating data over observations. We show that this approach creates conceptual problems, and may result in the confounding of explanatory variables or unstable estimates. To circumvent these problems we propose using probability estimates obtained from statistical models---specifically mixed models for binary data---in the analysis of calibration. We illustrate this methodology by re-analyzing data from a published study and comparing the results from this approach to those based on relative frequencies. The model-based estimates avoid problems with confounding variables and provided more precise estimates, resulting in better inferences.
Regulation of Glycerol Catabolism in Klebsiella aerogenes

The utilization of glycerol as a carbon source for growth by Klebsiella aerogenes, strain 2103, involves separate aerobic (sn-glycerol-3-phosphate or G3P) and anaerobic (dihydroxyacetone or DHA) pathways of catabolism. Enzyme and transport activities of the aerobic pathway are elevated in cells grown under oxygenated conditions on glycerol or G3P. Anaerobic growth on G3P as carbon source requires the presence of an exogenous hydrogen acceptor such as fumarate; cells thus grown also are highly induced in the G3P pathway. Anaerobic growth on glycerol requires no exogenous hydrogen acceptors; cells thus grown are highly induced in the DHA pathway but almost uninduced in the G3P pathway and the addition of fumarate electron acceptors has no effect on the relative levels of the two pathways. When both glycerol and G3P are provided anaerobically with fumarate, the DHA pathway is still preferentially induced, which probably accounts for the exclusive utilization of glycerol until its exhaustion. These observations suggest the presence of a regulatory control of G3P pathway imposed by the operation of the DHA pathway.
When and how should atrial septal defects be closed in adults

In this review, evidence is presented to indicate that hemodynamically significant (right ventricular volume overload) atrial septal defects (ASDs) in adults should be transcatheter occluded, irrespective of symptomatology. While surgical closure is safe and effective, device closure carries less morbidity. Several devices have been investigated over the last few decades, but at the present time, only two devices, namely, the Amplatzer and the Helex, have received FDA approval; the former is useful in most defects, while the latter is useful in small- and medium-sized defects. A detailed description of Amplatzer device implantation is presented. Finally, approaches to occlude ASDs with complex anatomy are reviewed.
THE VELOCITY OF SOUND BEHIND STRONG SHOCK WAVES IN 2024 Al

Rarefaction waves were produced by impacting a target with a thin plate. An optical technique was used to determine where the rarefaction from the back surface of the impactor overtook the shock wave induced in a step wedge target. Bromoform was placed on the front surface. When the shock reached the liquid it radiated steadily until the rarefaction from the impactor overtakes it. The times when this occurred were used to determine where the rarefaction just overtook the shock in the target, and thus the sound velocity. The leading edge of this rarefaction wave travels at longitudinal sound velocity in solids. This velocity increases smoothly with pressure until shock heating causes the material to melt. The data indicate that melting on the Hugoniot of 2024 Al begins at about 125 GPa and is completed at 150 GPa.
Study of radiation modes for 45-deg tilted fiber phase gratings

We explore the use of a tilted fiber phase grating to diffract modulated rf optical signal out of the fiber. A mathematical model based on perturbation analysis is derived and used to describe the radiation mode behavior, including scattering direction and radiation power. Simulation results for a system based on a 2-cm-long, fiber phase grating tilted 45 deg are presented.
Diffraction of a shock into an expansion wavefront for the transonic self-similar nonlinear wave system in two space dimensions

Abstract We consider a configuration where a planar shock reflects and diffracts as it hits a semi-infinite rigid screen. The diffracted reflected shock meets the diffracted expansion wave, created by the incident shock that does not hit the screen, and changes continuously from a shock into an expansion. The governing equation changes its type and becomes degenerate as the wave changes continuously from a shock to an expansion. Furthermore the governing equation has multiple free boundaries (transonic shocks) and an additional degenerate sonic boundary (the expansion wave). We develop an analysis to understand the solution structure near which the shock strength approaches zero and the shock turns continuously into an expansion wavefront, and show the existence of the global solution to this configuration for the nonlinear wave system. Moreover we provide an asymptotic analysis to estimate the position of the change of the wave, and present intriguing numerical results.
Mining multivariate time series models with soft-computing techniques: a coarse-grained parallel computing approach

This paper presents experimental results of a parallel implementation of a soft-computing algorithm for model discovery in multivariate time series, possibly with missing values. It uses a hybrid neural network with two different types of neurons trained with a non-traditional procedure. Models describing the multivariate time dependencies are encoded as binary strings representing neural networks, and evolved using genetic algorithms. The present paper studies its properties from an experimental point of view (using homogeneous and heterogeneous clusters) focussing on: i) the influence of missing values, ii) the factors controlling the parallel computation, and iii) the effectiveness of the time series prediction results. Results confirm that i) the algorithm possesses high tolerance to missing data, ii) Athon-based homogeneous clusters have higher throughput than Xeon-based homogeneous clusters, iii) an increase of the number of slaves reduces the processing time until communication overhead dominates (as expected), and iv) running the algorithm in parallel does not affect the RMS error (as expected). Even though much of this behavior could be qualitatively expected, appropriate tradeoffs between error and time were actually discovered, thereby enabling more effective, systematic, future uses of the system.
Partnership in Preservation: Historic Property Leasing in Hot Springs National Park

Unlike many other American national parks that are well-know for their natural scenery or abundant wildlife, Hot Springs National Park is most often associated with its majestic row of early twentieth-century bathhouses. These eight bathing establishments recall a period when the availability of leisure time and an interest in the therapeutic benefit of spas made Hot Springs, Arkansas, a resort of national reputation. But since the late 1940s, drugs have replaced bathing as a treatment for both minor ailments and major diseases.
How To Teach Hicksian Compensation And Duality Using A Spreadsheet Optimizer

Principle of duality and numerical calculation of income and substitution effects under Hicksian Compensation are often left out of intermediate microeconomics courses because they require a rigorous calculus based analysis. But these topics are critically important for understanding consumer behavior. In this paper we use excel solver- a spreadsheet optimizer to demonstrate how these topics can be taught in an undergraduate economics class with appropriate rigor but without using calculus. We also demonstrate how our methodology can be applied to Slutsky Compensation and to complex utility functions.
Effects of white-tailed deer on the native earthworm, Eisenoides carolinensis, in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

Abstract Research on earthworms in North America has focused on the effects of invasive earthworms, with few studies examining the ecology of native earthworm species. Deer have been shown to influence belowground processes through grazing, trampling, and fecal pellet deposition. We proposed that native earthworms in an oak-dominated forest in Virginia might benefit from increased organic matter provided by deer fecal material. We examined potential interactions between a common aboveground herbivore, the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and earthworms using laboratory and field experiments. In our laboratory experiment, we found that a native earthworm, Eisenoides carolinensis, and an invasive earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris both fared better in treatments with deer pellets compared with the treatment with leaf litter alone. In our field experiment, we used fences to exclude deer from six plots and left twelve plots unfenced to explore the effects of deer activity on earthworm biomass and density. We also examined the effects of deer on soil and vegetation characteristics. After three years, the amount of herbaceous cover was higher on fenced plots compared with unfenced plots. Although we found no other differences for vegetation and soil characteristics between fenced and unfenced plots, many of these variables were important as covariates in our models examining the effect of deer exclusion on earthworms, indicating plot-level (as opposed to treatment-level) variation in these variables. All identifiable earthworms were either E. carolinensis or Diplocardia spp. (both native species), with E. carolinensis making up 90% of the specimens. The total biomass of earthworms, as well as the biomass and density of adult and small juvenile earthworms, was greater on unfenced plots with deer activity compared with fenced plots. This study highlights the importance of above- and below-ground interactions in forest ecosystems by showing that E. carolinensis appears to benefit from the presence of deer and adds to our sparse knowledge of the ecology of this native earthworm.
Community leadership development education: promoting civic engagement through human and social capital

Community leadership development education (CLDE) programs are designed to increase the capacity of individuals as leaders in their communities as well as increase the capacity of community leaders...
Islet amyloid formation is an important determinant for inducing islet inflammation in high-fat-fed human IAPP transgenic mice

Aims/hypothesis Amyloid deposition and inflammation are characteristic of islet pathology in type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine whether islet amyloid formation is required for the development of islet inflammation in vivo.
Primary cultures of rat aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells: I. An in vitro model to study xenobiotic-induced vascular cytotoxicity.

Primary cultures of rat vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells were developed as models to study xenobiotic-induced cytotoxicity. Endothelial and smooth muscle cells were isolated by enzymatic digestion and mechanical dissociation of rat thoracic aortae. Optimal cell growth and minimal fibroblast contamination in cultures of both cell types were obtained in Medium 199 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Cultured cells were characterized by distinctive morphologic features and growth patterns. Intercellular endothelial cell junctions were selectively stained with silver nitrate. Endothelial cells also exhibited a nonthrombogenic surface, as reflected by platelet-binding studies. Confluent cultures of smooth muscle cells, but not endothelial cells, contracted in response to norepinephrine (10 μM). Cultures of both cell types were exposed to acrolein (2, 5 or 50 ppm), an environmental pollutant, for 4 24 h. Morphologic damage, lactate dehydrogenase release, and cellular thiol content were used as indices of cytotoxicity. Acrolein-induced enzyme leakage and morpholgic alterations were dose- and time-dependent and more pronounced in cultures of smooth muscle cells than in endothelial cells. The total thiol content of endothelial cells exposed to acrolein (50 ppm) for 24 h was not significantly different from that of respective controls. In contrast, the content of treated smooth muscle cells was higher than that of controls. These observations show that primary cultures of vascular cells provide a useful model to evaluate xenobiotic-induced cytotoxicity. The information obtained using a cell culture system may be complemented by the use of other in vivo and in vitro models to determine the mechanisms by which xenobiotics cause vascular cell injury.
New approaches to missing data in psychological research: introduction to the special section.

Traditional approaches to missing data (e.g., listwise deletion) can lead to less than optimal results in terms of bias, statistical power, or both. This article introduces the 3 articles in the special section of Psychological Methods, which consider multiple imputation and maximum-likelihood methods, new approaches to missing data that can often yield improved results. Computer software is now available to implement these new methods.
Beyond crime seriousness: Fitting the punishment to the crime

This paper presents an exposition of how the factorial survey approach may enhance empirical assessments of the complex judgment principles involved in public views of just punishments for convicted offenders. Ratings of the appropriateness of sentences given across 50 typical crimes obtained from a household sample (N=774) of the Boston SMSA and several special-interest samples in 1982 are examined in three alternative ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression equations. These analyses show there is not a one-to-one direct relationship between public perceptions of the seriousness of criminal acts and desired sanctions. Crime seriousness is modified by the characteristics of the offenders and victims and by the consequences of the crimes. Preferred punishments also vary in severity by demographic, experiential, and attitudinal characteristics of the persons who make the judgments.
Water Vapor Diffusion Through Soil as Affected by Temperature and Aggregate Size

Water vapor diffusion through the soil is an important part in the total water flux in the unsaturated zone of arid or semiarid regions and has several significant agricultural and engineering applications because soil moisture contents near the surface are relatively low. Water vapor diffusing through dry soil is absorbed for both long and short terms. Long-term absorption allows more water to enter than exit the soil, as reflected in the concentration gradient. Short-term absorption leads to an apparent reduction in the diffusion rate, as reflected in the diffusion coefficient. This investigation studied the effects of soil temperature and porosity on the isothermal diffusion of water vapor through soil. The diffusion model consisted of 25.4 cm × 8.9 cm × 20.3 cm Plexiglas box divided into two compartments by a partition holding a soil reservoir. Water vapor moved from a container suspended by a spring in one compartment, through the porous medium in the center of the model, to calcium chloride in a container suspended by a spring in the other compartment. The porous materials consisted of aggregates of varying size (2–2.8, 1–2, and 0.5–1 mm) of a Fayatte silty clay loam (a fine-silty, mixed mesic Typic Hapludalf). The flow rates of water vapor were measured at temperatures of 10, 20, 30, and 40°C. Warmer temperatures increased the rate of diffusion through dry soil while reduced the amount of water absorbed by that soil. Reducing porosity slowed the rate of diffusion and increased the amount of water absorbed. The dry soil in this study absorbed from 1/8 to 2/3 of the diffusing water. Maximum absorption rates occurred with the most compact soil samples at the highest temperature, though the maximum absorption as a percentage of the diffusing water was in the compact samples at the lowest temperature. The diffusivity equation D/D 0 = [(S – 0.1)/0.9]2 fit the D/D 0 values obtained from these data if a coefficient of 1/3 or 1/3.5 is added to correct for the time delays caused by temporary sorption of the diffusing water vapor. The data, influenced by the interaction of water vapor and soil materials, represent a diffusion rate lower than the diffusion rate that would have resulted without this interaction.
Faculty Development in Interprofessional Education: Designing and Implementing a Successful Program

Patient care is improved when health-care providers work collaboratively as teams. However, many institutions have not fully embraced these concepts and are not providing sufficient opportunities for their current health-care professional trainees. For institutions to properly educate health-care providers to be practice ready in interprofessional collaboration (IPC) teams upon graduation, faculty training programs are critical. Faculty development efforts in interprofessional education (IPE) must be strategic in their design and implementation, include a dedicated and experienced leadership team, and have adequate financial support. In this paper, the authors describe a faculty development program designed to promote IPE among multiple health-care professions. A three-session interdisciplinary faculty development series was developed, incorporating peer coaching, mentorship, self-directed learning, assignments, and lecture-based presentations as principle learning activities. The major learning objectives of this series were to (1) understand the roles and responsibilities of interdisciplinary team members, (2) identify challenges of an interprofessional approach to patient-centered care, and (3) apply collaborative approaches to the health-care needs of the patient. Strategies to promote active learning opportunities were planned for all three sessions, designed to encourage participants to learn with, about, and from each other to improve health outcomes. Upon completion of the series, participants expressed positive changes in perception of IPE and shared learning but remained divided in opinion of the practicality of working in health-care teams. The authors conclude that designing and implementing an interprofessional faculty development program takes time and is an ever-evolving process, requiring shared vision, commitment, flexibility, and sustained administrative support.
Gallery construction and oviposition by Ips calligraphus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in relation to slash pine phloem thickness and temperature

Reproductive performance of Ips calligraphus (Germar) in typical slash pine, Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii , bark slabs with phloem thicknesses ranging from 0.5 to 4.0 mm was studied at 20°, 25°, and 30 °C during the fall (1981) and summer (1982) seasons by means of radiography and slab dissection. Oviposition rate (eggs/day) and egg density (eggs/cm) were positively correlated with both phloem thickness and temperature, being greatest with a combination of thick phloem (3–4 mm) and warm temperature (30 °C). Gallery construction rate (cm/day) was positively correlated, and length of initial egg-free gallery was negatively correlated, with temperature. Depth of xylem-etching was negatively correlated with phloem thickness. Reproductive performance, as measured by oviposition rate and egg density, was greater in the summer study than in the fall study under similar conditions of phloem thickness and temperature. Nutritional, physical, and seasonal characteristics of xylem, phloem, and outer bark are discussed in relation to the above findings.
Social Class, Child Maltreatment, and Delinquent Behavior

The relationship between social class and child maltreatment and between maltreatment and delinquency were examined, particular attention being paid to previous deficiencies in the operationalization of maltreatment and class. Maltreatment was operationalized with subscales for physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect, while social class was operationalized with multiple indicators. Survey data from 110 high school freshmen were analyzed and revealed the following: (a) a weak but consistent inverse correlation between social class and all forms of child maltreatment, (b) a stronger relationship between social class and maltreatment when lower-class membership was operationalized in a manner consistent with the concept of an underclass, (c) that emotional abuse and neglect were correlated positively with all forms of delinquent behavior examined, and (d) that physical abuse was not correlated appreciably and positively with any form of delinquency.
Open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair is feasible and can be done with excellent results in octogenarians.

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair in octogenarians during a time period of multiple commercially available endografts, in which only proximal aneurysms or the most challenging anatomy are not stented. Methods A retrospective review was performed of all patients aged ≥80 years undergoing open AAA repair over a 7-year period (2003-2009) at a single academic medical center. Demographic data, aneurysm characteristics, comorbidities, operative results, perioperative complications, length of stay, and late outcomes were analyzed. Results Sixty-five patients were identified (men, n=27) with a median age of 82 years (80-89 years old). Mean aneurysm size was 6.7 cm. Morphology consisted of type IV thoracoabdominal (n = 19), suprarenal (n = 14), pararenal (n = 19), and infrarenal (n = 13). Eighty-five percent of cases were performed electively. A tube graft was used in 58 patients, and the left renal artery was bypassed in 33 patients. Fifty-two patients required a suprarenal or supraceliac clamp, with a mean proximal clamp time of 22 minutes. Mean estimated blood loss was 1800 mL. Mortality was 6% at 30 days. Overall morbidity was 42%, most commonly an arrhythmia (25%). Major complication rate was 18%. Median intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay was 3 and 9 days, respectively. Sixty-one percent of patients were discharged directly home. Six patients developed acute renal failure, although none progressed to dialysis. Mean serum creatinine was 1.3 mg/dL preoperatively and 1.5 mg/dL at discharge. One patient developed bowel necrosis (sigmoid colon) requiring resection. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 81 months (mean, 24 months). Three-year survival was 79%. Conclusion With an increasing population of elderly patients, vascular surgeons are continually confronted with patients over 80 years of age. Our patients consisted of those not anatomically suitable for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. Despite a predominance of proximal aneurysms, our results demonstrate excellent rates of morbidity and mortality. Thus, open AAA repair can be done safely and effectively in octogenarians, and age alone should not exclude this form of repair.
Survey of Inelastic Scattering of Deuterons by Heavy Elements

Energy spectra of inelastically scattered deuterons from approximately 30 heavy elements are measured with about 80-kev resolution. Many new levels are reported, including a level in ${\mathrm{Pr}}^{141}$ whose discovery substantially alters the decay scheme of ${\mathrm{Nd}}^{141}$. The gross structure of the spectra is studied and several regularities are noted. Angular distributions in Zr and the even isotopes of Sn indicate that the parity of the strongest levels in the anomalous peaks (\ensuremath{\sim}2.5 Mev) are negative, in agreement with the popular assumption that they are the ${3}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ collective vibrational level; however, there are also several strongly excited positive-parity levels in that region. The correlation between cross sections for exciting given levels by ($d, {d}^{\ensuremath{'}}$) and ($d, p$) or ($d, t$) reactions is studied. The correlation coefficients are generally slightly negative, but there are several cases where the same levels are strongly excited by all three reactions, including one case (in ${\mathrm{Sn}}^{117}$) where the principal ${d}_{\frac{5}{2}}$ single quasi-particle level is also the principal ${2}^{+}$ vibrational level based on the ${s}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ ground state. A very strong positive correlation is found between cross sections for exciting given levels by Coulomb excitation and by direct-interaction inelastic scattering. The large peaks reported by Yntema and Zeidman in inelastic deuteron scattering from Rh, Ag, and Sn at 4-5 Mev and from Ta and Pt at about 3 Mev are not found here; explanations for this are offered.