cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
All Sizes Fit the Red Queen

The Red Queen's hypothesis portrays evolution as a never-ending competition for expansive energy, where one species’ gain is another species’ loss. The Red Queen is neutral with respect to body size, implying that neither small nor large species have a universal competitive advantage. Here we ask whether, and if so how, the Red Queen's hypothesis really can accommodate differences in body size. The maximum population growth in ecology clearly depends on body size—the smaller the species, the shorter the generation length, and the faster it can expand given sufficient opportunity. On the other hand, large species are more efficient in energy use due to metabolic scaling and can maintain more biomass with the same energy. The advantage of shorter generation makes a wide range of body sizes competitive, yet large species do not take over. We analytically show that individuals consume energy and reproduce in physiological time, but need to compete for energy in real time. The Red Queen, through adaptive evolution of populations, balances the pressures of real and physiological time. Modeling competition for energy as a proportional prize contest from economics, we further show that Red Queen's zero-sum game can generate unimodal hat-like patterns of species rise and decline that can be neutral in relation to body size.
Making mean-estimation more efficient using an MCMC trace variance approach: DynaMITE.

We introduce a novel statistical measure for MCMC-mean estimation, the inter-trace variance ${\rm trv}^{(\tau_{rel})}({\cal M},f)$, which depends on a Markov chain ${\cal M}$ and a function $f:S\to [a,b]$. The inter-trace variance can be efficiently estimated from observed data and leads to a more efficient MCMC-mean estimator. Prior MCMC mean-estimators receive, as input, upper-bounds on $\tau_{mix}$ or $\tau_{rel}$, and often also the stationary variance, and their performance is highly dependent to the sharpness of these bounds. In contrast, we introduce DynaMITE, which dynamically adjusts the sample size, it is less sensitive to the looseness of input upper-bounds on $\tau_{rel}$, and requires no bound on $v_{\pi}$. Receiving only an upper-bound ${\cal T}_{rel}$ on $\tau_{rel}$, DynaMITE estimates the mean of $f$ in $\tilde{\cal{O}}\bigl(\smash{\frac{{\cal T}_{rel} R}{\varepsilon}}+\frac{\tau_{rel}\cdot {\rm trv}^{(\tau{rel})}}{\varepsilon^{2}}\bigr)$ steps, without a priori bounds on the stationary variance $v_{\pi}$ or the inter-trace variance ${\rm trv}^{(\tau rel)}$. Thus we depend minimally on the tightness of ${\cal T}_{mix}$, as the complexity is dominated by $\tau_{rel}\rm{trv}^{(\tau{rel})}$ as $\varepsilon \to 0$. Note that bounding $\tau_{\rm rel}$ is known to be prohibitively difficult, however, DynaMITE is able to reduce its principal dependence on ${\cal T}_{rel}$ to $\tau_{rel}$, simply by exploiting properties of the inter-trace variance. To compare our method to known variance-aware bounds, we show ${\rm trv}^{(\tau{rel})}({\cal M},f) \leq v_{\pi}$. Furthermore, we show when $f$'s image is distributed (semi)symmetrically on ${\cal M}$'s traces, we have ${\rm trv}^{({\tau{rel}})}({\cal M},f)=o(v_{\pi}(f))$, thus DynaMITE outperforms prior methods in these cases.
Photon conversion in thin-film lithium niobate nanowaveguides: a noise analysis

Wavelength transduction of single-photon signals is indispensable to networked quantum applications, particularly those incorporating quantum memories. Lithium niobate nanophotonic devices have demonstrated favorable linear, nonlinear, and electro-optical properties to deliver this crucial function while offering superior efficiency, integrability, and scalability. Yet, their quantum noise level—a crucial metric for any single-photon-based application—has yet to be investigated. In this work, we report the first, to the best of our knowledge, study with the focus on telecom to near-visible conversion driven by a small detuned telecom pump for practical considerations in distributed quantum processing over fiber networks. Our results find the noise level to be on the order of 10−4 photons per time-frequency mode for high conversion, allowing faithful pulsed operations. Through carefully analyzing the origins of such noise and each’s dependence on the pump power and wavelength detuning, we have also identified a formula for noise suppression to 10−5 photons per mode. Our results assert a viable, low-cost, and modular approach to networked quantum processing and beyond using lithium niobate nanophotonics.
Improving efficacy in Pediatric and Neonatal Transport times on High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation

Background: The transport of neonatal and pediatric patients on High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation (HFOV) and/or inhaled Nitric Oxide (iNO) is a difficult and potentially dangerous task for which there are currently no national guidelines or best practice recommendations. At Nicklaus Children’s Hospital transport times for these patients are a lengthy process. We aimed to implement a transport protocol to reduce bedside time at the referring center to facilitate patient definitive arrival times and improved outcomes. Methods: We first met …
An Ultraviolet Spectroscopy Method for Rapid Partial Discharge Detection in GIS

By detecting the stable by-products of SF6 through ultraviolet spectroscopy,the present paper achieved the rapid detection of the GIS partial discharge fault.First derivative and the S-G filter were used for the spectral denoising and smoothing.The discharge experiment was used for validating feature selection.Principal component regression was used for the analysis of the concentration of SO2.The concentration of SO2 was used for fuzzy judge.By selecting the appropriate wavelength range(295~305nm),ultraviolet spectrum can identify SO2 from the complex by-products of SF6.In this paper,firstly,the author reviewed the decomposition mechanism of SF6 under partial discharge,and then verified the rationality of detecting partial discharge by UV,and ultimately achieved the rapid detection of GIS partial discharge and fuzzy judgment of discharge time.
Discordant erectile function assessment between validated questionnaire scores and penile Doppler ultrasound in Peyronie's disease.

Peyronie’s disease results in curvature of the penis which may cause difficulty with penetrative intercourse. The diagnosis of Peyronie’s disease is easily obtained through history and physical examination alone, but the severity of erectile dysfunction relies on patient history and use of validated questionnaires. However, erectile dysfunction questionnaires were not validated in the Peyronie’s disease population and may not be a reliable assessment. Penile Doppler ultrasound is a noninvasive tool that assesses vascular function. We hypothesized that penile Doppler ultrasound will be discordant with International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) results in men with Peyronie’s disease and erectile dysfunction. In this cross-sectional study, we reviewed a prospectively collected database of men with Peyronie’s disease. In total, 108 men had questionnaire and ultrasound data. Of them, 87 had erectile dysfunction based on IIEF-EF or IIEF-5 (SHIM). However, 48 (55%) of those men had normal vascular parameters. Interestingly, among a subgroup of 33 men with severe erectile dysfunction on IIEF-EF or IIEF-5, 20 (61%) had normal vascular parameters. Our study demonstrates significant discordance between questionnaires and penile Doppler ultrasound. Therefore, ultrasound may be a useful tool in the workup of men with Peyronie’s disease and erectile dysfunction.
Feasibility of pharmacometabolomics to identify potential predictors of paclitaxel pharmacokinetic variability

Paclitaxel is a commonly used chemotherapy drug with substantial variability in pharmacokinetics (PK) that affects treatment efficacy and toxicity. Pharmacometabolomic signatures that explain PK variability could be used to individualize dosing to improve therapeutic outcomes. The objective of this study was to identify pretreatment metabolites or metabolomic signatures that explain variability in paclitaxel PK. This analysis was conducted using data previously collected on a prospective observational study of 48 patients with breast cancer receiving weekly 80 mg/m2 paclitaxel infusions. Paclitaxel plasma concentrations were measured during the first infusion to estimate paclitaxel time above threshold (Tc>0.05) and maximum concentration (Cmax). Metabolites measured in pretreatment whole blood by nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry were analyzed for an association with Tc>0.05 and Cmax using Pearson correlation followed by stepwise linear regression. Pretreatment creatinine, glucose, and lysine concentrations were positively correlated with Tc>0.05, while pretreatment betaine was negatively correlated and lactate was positively correlated with Cmax (all uncorrected p 0.05, while betaine and lactate were associated with Cmax (all p < 0.05). This study identified pretreatment metabolites that may be associated with paclitaxel PK variability demonstrating feasibility of a pharmacometabolomics approach for understanding paclitaxel PK. However, identification of more robust pharmacometabolomic predictors will be required for broad and routine application for the clinical dosing of paclitaxel.
An Investigation of Parallel Programming Techniques Applied to Monte Carlo Simulations for Post-Flight Reconstruction of Spacecraft Trajectory

Parallelizing software to execute on multi-core central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs) can be challenging. For some fields outside of Computer Science, this transition comes with new issues. For example, memory limitations can require modifications to code not initially developed to run on GPUs. This work applies the Open Multi-Processing (OpenMP) and Open Accelerators (OpenACC) directive-based parallelization strategies on a Monte Carlo simulation approach for trajectory reconstruction enabling it to run on multi-core CPUs and GPUs. Large matrix operations are the most common use of GPUs, which are not present in this algorithm; however, the natural parallelism of independent trajectories in Monte Carlo simulations is exploited. Benchmarking data are presented comparing execution times of the software for single-thread CPUs, multi-thread CPUs with OpenMP, and multi-thread GPUs using OpenACC. These data were collected using nodes with Intel® Xeon® E5-2670 (Sandy Bridge) CPUs enhanced with NVIDIA® Tesla® K40 GPUs on the Pleiades Supercomputer cluster at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center (ARC) and a local Intel® Xeon Phi™ node at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC).
P70 Association Between Teacher Fidelity to the WISE Intervention and Early Childhood Health Outcomes

Background Early Childhood Educators’ (ECEs) food-related behaviors can significantly influence child health outcomes (CHOs). The We Inspire Smart Eating (WISE) intervention program trains ECEs in promoting fruit and vegetable consumption by encouraging children's healthy eating habits. WISE provides a 6-hour training and curriculum for weekly sensory-based lessons with 8 target foods. Objective This study explores the association between ECE WISE fidelity and CHOs. We hypothesize that higher median fidelity scores across time are associated with improved CHOs. Study Design, Setting, and Participants Research assistants (RAs) observed lesson fidelity during lessons 8 times across an academic year. RAs scored ECEs on a 1 (“Not at all”) to 4 (“Very much”) scale for 3 evidence-based practices: hands-on exposure, mascot use, and role modeling. Child participants were African American 63.4%, Caucasian 28.5%, or other 8.1% (N = 659, male = 4.70, 50% female). Measurable Outcome/Analysis Median fidelity scores of ECEs’ lessons (N = 30) were calculated to convey fidelity performance across time. CHOs include Body Mass Index (BMI) percentile and Resonance Raman Spectroscopy (RRS) scores. Change scores (BMI∆ and RRS∆) were calculated by subtracting pre-intervention from post-intervention scores. Results In total, 463 children had BMI∆ and 273 had RRS∆. A linear regression revealed a significant association between fidelity and BMI∆ F(1, 462) = 5.068, P = 0.025 (β = -1.315). Results indicate that ECEs with higher fidelity scores had statistically significantly lower BMI∆ at post-intervention compared to ECEs with lower fidelity scores. Specifically, a 1-point increase in fidelity was associated with a 1.315 decrease in BMI. The association between fidelity and RRS was not statistically significant F(1, 272) = 0.28, P = 0.60. Multilevel analysis showed variance accounted for by nesting in classroom was not significant. Conclusion Children in classrooms with ECEs with higher fidelity may benefit more from the WISE intervention as indicated by BMI∆. Thus, efforts to improve ECEs’ adherence to the evidence-based practices of WISE (eg, implementation strategies) may enhance the impact of the intervention.
Legal Interventions to Counter COVID-19 Denialism

A series of denialist state laws thwart efficacious public health emergency response efforts despite escalating impacts of the spread of the Delta variant during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, public and private actors are fighting back to obstruct or reverse anti-public health maneuvers through legal challenges focused on (1) constitutional structural- and rights-based challenges; (2) use of conditional spending requirements; (3) federal preemption; (4) disability and other anti-discrimination laws; (5) waivers or routine uses of public health powers; and (6) civil liability claims.
Abdominal Aortic and Visceral Artery Aneurysms

Abdominal aortic aneurysms account for nearly 9000 deaths annually, with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms being the thirteenth leading cause of death in the United States. Abdominal aortic aneurysms can be detected by screening, but a majority are detected incidentally. Visceral artery aneurysms are often discovered incidentally, and treatment is guided by symptoms, etiology, and size. A timely diagnosis and referral to a vascular specialist are essential for timely open or endovascular repair and to ensure successful patient outcomes.
The Royalists and the Restoration Settlement

When Charles arrived at Canterbury, three hours after landing at Dover, he received a premonition of what was to be expected from sufferers in his cause. He found crowds of old royalists waiting to greet him, and many immediately besieged him with accounts of their hardships and losses during the past eighteen years. Mortified by their importunity, the king withdrew and from that moment abhorred the principal supplicants. 1 Throughout his reign the king was never free from these suitors. Indeed, the most clamorous were in his own household. As Clarendon said, those who had been closest to him in exile and whom he brought when returning to England “had the keener appetites and the stronger presumption.” They were anxious to assure their own futures before any others were recompensed who had not “borne the heat of the day.” 2
Ribonucleic Acid Regulation in Amino Acid-Limited Cultures of Escherichia coli Grown in a Chemostat

The regulation of ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis was examined in cultures of bacteria whose growth was limited in the chemostat by the supply of a required amino acid. Strains possessing the relaxed ( relA ) mutation accumulated excess RNA (relative to protein) at low growth rates when growth was limited by arginine, histidine, or cysteine but not when limited by methionine. In contrast, stringent ( relA + ) strains maintained a constant RNA/protein ratio with decreasing growth rate regardless of the amino acid used to limit growth. The presence of excess RNA in relaxed strains was accompanied by an absence of increase in RNA production upon addition of chloramphenicol, a lag upon shift-up in growth by addition of excess of the limiting amino acid, and a decreased rate of production of β-galactosidase upon induction. Analysis of the RNA accumulated in relaxed strains indicated it was present as transfer RNA as well as 50 S and 30 S ribosomal subunits. Microscope examination of the relaxed strains during histidine-, arginine-, or cysteine-limited growth in the chemostat showed them to be 10 to 20 times longer in size than the stringent strains. Also, cell density was reduced to one-tenth when the increased size was observed. An analysis of the amount of ppGpp present in all slow-growing amino acid-limited cultures (relaxed and stringent) demonstrated that only basal levels of ppGpp were made. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that when growth is limited in the chemostat by an initiation event in protein synthesis, i.e., limited methionine, RNA regulation occurs in relaxed as well as stringent strains. Also, when other amino acids are limiting in concentration during translation, errors occur in relaxed strains, resulting in misread proteins.
Downstream hydraulic geometry relations: 1. Theoretical development

An edited version of this paper was published by AGU. Copyright 2003 American Geophysical Union.
A Selective NMR Probe to Monitor the Conformational Transition from Inactive to Active Kinase

Kinases control many aspects of cellular signaling and are therefore therapeutic targets for numerous disease states. Monitoring the conformational changes that drive activation and inactivation of the catalytic kinase core is a challenging experimental problem due to the dynamic nature of these enzymes. We apply [13C] reductive methylation to chemically introduce NMR-active nuclei into unlabeled protein kinases. The results demonstrate that solution NMR spectroscopy can be used to monitor specific changes in the chemical environment of structurally important lysines in a [13C]-methylated kinase as it shifts from the inactive to active state. This approach provides a solution based method to complement X-ray crystallographic data and can be applied to nearly any kinase, regardless of size or method of production.
EFFECT OF VAGOTOMY ON RENAL FUNCTION DURING WATER DIURESIS.

Summary1. Prolonged inhibition of water diuresis occurred after bilateral cervical vagotomy in anesthetized dogs. 2. The urine became hypertonic to plasma, and the decline in urine flow was due solely to increased tubular reabsorption of solute-free water. 3. Glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, and solute excretion did not change significantly.
Finite element modeling of a nanowire-based oscillator achieved through solid–liquid phase switching for GHz operation

Abstract We have experimentally observed liquid–solid phase-change oscillations in various silicon micro/nanowires when biased through a load resistor and in parallel with a capacitor. The capacitor charges while the wire is in solid state and discharges through the wire once it melts, allowing the wire to cool and the cycle to repeat. A finite element model for this phenomenon is presented and discussed in this work, predicting the effects of scaling the physical dimensions into the nanometer scale. Electrical breakdown of silicon is expected to be an important factor at the nanometer scale, allowing for faster melting of the nanowire and oscillation frequencies >1 GHz.
Microbial Prevalence, Diversity and Abundance in Amniotic Fluid During Preterm Labor: A Molecular and Culture-Based Investigation

Background Preterm delivery causes substantial neonatal mortality and morbidity. Unrecognized intra-amniotic infections caused by cultivation-resistant microbes may play a role. Molecular methods can detect, characterize and quantify microbes independently of traditional culture techniques. However, molecular studies that define the diversity and abundance of microbes invading the amniotic cavity, and evaluate their clinical significance within a causal framework, are lacking. Methods and Findings In parallel with culture, we used broad-range end-point and real-time PCR assays to amplify, identify and quantify ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of bacteria, fungi and archaea from amniotic fluid of 166 women in preterm labor with intact membranes. We sequenced up to 24 rRNA clones per positive specimen and assigned taxonomic designations to approximately the species level. Microbial prevalence, diversity and abundance were correlated with host inflammation and with gestational and neonatal outcomes. Study subjects who delivered at term served as controls. The combined use of molecular and culture methods revealed a greater prevalence (15% of subjects) and diversity (18 taxa) of microbes in amniotic fluid than did culture alone (9.6% of subjects; 11 taxa). The taxa detected only by PCR included a related group of fastidious bacteria, comprised of Sneathia sanguinegens, Leptotrichia amnionii and an unassigned, uncultivated, and previously-uncharacterized bacterium; one or more members of this group were detected in 25% of positive specimens. A positive PCR was associated with histologic chorioamnionitis (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 20; 95% CI, 2.4 to 172), and funisitis (adjusted OR 18; 95% CI, 3.1 to 99). The positive predictive value of PCR for preterm delivery was 100 percent. A temporal association between a positive PCR and delivery was supported by a shortened amniocentesis-to-delivery interval (adjusted hazard ratio 4.6; 95% CI, 2.2 to 9.5). A dose-response association was demonstrated between bacterial rDNA abundance and gestational age at delivery (r2 = 0.42; P<0.002). Conclusions The amniotic cavity of women in preterm labor harbors DNA from a greater diversity of microbes than previously suspected, including as-yet uncultivated, previously-uncharacterized taxa. The strength, temporality and gradient with which these microbial sequence types are associated with preterm delivery support a causal relationship.
The rex genes of lambda prophage modify ultraviolet light and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced responses to DNA damage in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Inactivation and mutagenesis of Escherichia coli by ultraviolet light and N -methyl- N -nitrosourea (MNU) were examined in isogenic strains that were (i) free of lambda phage, (ii) lysogenic for lambda or (iii) contained the λ rexAB operon on a plasmid (prex20). Inactivation was enhanced when rex genes were present and this enhancement was greater for MNU than for UV. Mutagenesis was not greatly affected by the presence of the rex genes with one exception; UV-induced glnU ° suppressor mutations were reduced in the strain harboring prex20. Control experiments using a strain containing only plasmid pACYC184 showed no effect on inactivation. A small depression in UV-induced mutagenesis was observed, however. These data suggest that the λ RexAB proteins interfere with processes necessary for recovery from DNA damage and for fixation of one example of UV-induced mutation. This and other recent observations of effects by rex genes are discussed.
Simple multifractal cascade model for fully developed turbulence.

A simple model is presented for the energy-cascading process in the inertial range that fits remarkably well the entire spectrum of scaling exponents for the dissipation field in fully developed turbulence. The scheme is a special case of weighted curdling and its one-dimensional version is a simple generalized two-scale Cantor set with equal scales but unequal weights (with ratio\ensuremath{\sim}(7/3). This set displays all the measured multifractal properties of one-dimensional sections of the dissipation field.
FURTHER ANALYSIS OF FORM FACTORS IN KMU $sub 3$$sup +$ DECAY

The data from the experimental study of the ${{K}_{\ensuremath{\mu}3}}^{+}$ and ${{K}_{e3}}^{+}$ decay modes in the 12-in.xenon bubble chamber have been reanalyzed without the assumption of time-reversal invariance. If a local, $V\ensuremath{-}A$ interaction is assumed, the matrix element for the ${{K}_{\ensuremath{\mu}3}}^{+}$ decay is characterized by two form factors, ${f}_{+}$ and ${f}_{\ensuremath{-}}$. The ratio of these form factors $\ensuremath{\xi}=\frac{{f}_{\ensuremath{-}}}{{f}_{+}}$ must be real if the interaction is invariant under time reversal. The experimental distribution in two variables (${p}_{\ensuremath{\pi}}$ and ${p}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$) has been fitted to the theoretical distribution with the real and imaginary parts of $\ensuremath{\xi}$ as parameters. It is found that the imaginary part of $\ensuremath{\xi}$ is consistent with zero and is less than 2.4 with 90% confidence. A further test of nonlocality is also presented.
Structural and functional mapping of the archaeal multi-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex

Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus contains a multi-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex (MSC) of LysRS, LeuRS and ProRS. Elongation factor (EF) 1A also associates to the MSC, with LeuRS possibly acting as a core protein. Analysis of the MSC revealed that LysRS and ProRS specifically interact with the idiosyncratic N- and C- termini of LeuRS, respectively. EF-1A instead interacts with the inserted CP1 proofreading domain, consistent with models for post-transfer editing by class I synthetases such as LeuRS. Together with previous genetic data, these findings show that LeuRS plays a central role in mediating interactions within the archaeal MSC by acting as a core scaffolding protein.
ZERO ENTROPY PERMUTATIONS

The entropy of a permutation is the (topological) entropy of the "connect-the-dots" map determined by it. We give matrix- and graph-theoretic, geometric, and dynamical characterizations of zero entropy permutations, as well as a procedure for constructing all of them. We also include some information about the number of zero entropy permutations.
Effects of stimulus and contextual information on the lexical decision process

Two experiments were conducted to investigate context effects on the lexical decision process. In both experiments, observers classified letter strings as words or nonwords following the presentation of context in the form of an incomplete sentence. In Experiment 1, the predictability of congruous word stimuli and their frequency of occurrence in printed English were varied. These two factors had independent and additive effects on decision latencies. Stimulus quality, word frequency, and semantic congruity (i.e., congruous vs. incongruous) between the context and the stimulus were varied in Experiment 2. The effects of semantic congruity and word frequency on decision latencies combined additively, as did the effects of semantic congruity and stimulus quality. Two complementary mechanisms were proposed within the framework of a modified version of Becker’s verification model to account for the differential effects of single-word and sentence context priming on the lexical decision process.
Metformin Treatment for the Prevention and/or Treatment of Breast/Mammary Tumorigenesis

There is increasing interest in metformin's effects on the development, treatment and/or progression of breast cancer. This emerges from observational studies that diabetic women treated with metformin in comparison to other antidiabetic compounds had lower breast cancer incidence and/or mortality rates. The mechanism of action is considered to be activation of hepatic AMPK resulting in reduced gluconeogenesis. Calorie restriction, which consistently reduces mammary tumorigenesis in rodents, is also thought to act through this pathway leading to the hypothesis that metformin's anticancer effects are mediated in a similar fashion. Here we review the literature evaluating metformin's anticancer effects in relation to breast/mammary tumorigenesis. We include clinical observations, as well as studies utilizing rodent models and mammary cell lines. In addition to the anticancer effect of metformin mediated through the AMPK pathway, additional mechanisms of action that directly target tissues have been identified including effects on stem cells, apoptosis, STAT3 and HER2.
Measurement of total alpha-activity of neptunium, plutonium and americium in simulated Hanford waste by iron hydroxide precipitation and 2-heptanone solvent extraction

An improved method has been developed to concentrale the major α-emitting actinide elements neptunium, plutonium, and americium from samples with high salt content such as those resulting from efforts to characterize Hanford storage tank waste. Actinide elements are concentrated by coprecipitation of their hydroxides using iron carrier. The iron is removed by extraction from 8M HCl with 2-heptanone. The actinide elements remain in the aqueous phase free from salts and iron. Recoveries averaged 98%.
Arboriculture in the subsistence of Santa Cruz, Solomon Islands

In Oceania, the indigenous agricultural systems are founded on a basic assemblage of cultigens largely in common, with the dominating species varying from area to area. Barrau (6) has defined the ecological correlates accounting for the distribution of the main herbaceous species in terms of wet and dry environments, as well as indicating the agronomic measures of adaptation by which native cultivators may convert to cropping otherwise unfavorable soil media. Trees are cultivated, or at least exploited by gathering to some degree throughout the Pacific islands for food, medicine, clothing material, construction and other industrial uses. The clear dominance of trees in subsistence systems, however, is restricted to a few genera in which the ecological template is obvious. The best known is the coconut, Cocos nucifera L., adapted to coral atolls, raised coral islands and the strands of the larger volcanic islands. Often associated are forms of Pandanus or screw pine, generally P. tectorius (Solander) Parkinson. The distribution of sago palms, Me troxylon spp., is restricted to the western Pacific, reaching as far as Samoa at its eastern periphery. As a starch staple, sago is now limited to the New Guinea region, cultivated or gathered by swamp dwellers. Breadfruit, A rtocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosb. is, or was in former times one of the major starchy resources of the high islands of Polynesia and Micronesia; in the case of the latter, the tree was also of considerable importance on the atolls of the Marshall and Caroline groups. In his reviews of Oceanic subsistence agriculture, Barrau (1, 3) provides further information on the distribution of these tree crops and enu-
Chemical ionization mass spectrometric measurements of atmospheric neutral clusters using the cluster-CIMS

[1] A recently developed chemical ionization mass spectrometer for detecting neutral molecular clusters in the atmosphere (the Cluster-CIMS) is described. This instrument is unique in that it uses a highly sensitive atmospheric chemical ionization technique combined with two neutral cluster separation methods to measure the very low concentrations of clusters formed during nucleation events. This is apparently the first time that selected-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry has been used to identify nucleating clusters in the atmosphere. The Cluster-CIMS was well calibrated by using an electrospray high-resolution differential mobility analyzer technique, a novel approach to generating and classifying known ion clusters. Field measurements at a moderately polluted urban site and a relatively remote forested site show that the instrument is capable of detecting neutral sulfuric acid clusters (containing up to four sulfuric acid molecules) during relatively strong nucleation events, with a concentration on the order of 104 molecular clusters per cubic centimeter at both sites. These measurements also provide evidence that for a given sulfuric acid concentration, the forested site appears to be significantly more efficient at producing sulfate clusters than the urban site is. A comparison between the Cluster-CIMS measurements and the size distribution measurements of nanoparticles demonstrates that the observed nucleation events at the two measurement sites are always associated with high concentrations of sulfuric acid and that, if the clusters are measurable, they are well correlated with the nanoparticles down to ∼2 nm; however, other nucleation events are either relatively small or may have occurred prior to reaching the measurement sites, and hence the concentrations of the sulfuric acid clusters are most likely under the detection limit of the Cluster-CIMS. Limitations of the instrument and possible future directions for its development are discussed.
Blending with Non‐responsive Polymers to Incorporate Nanoparticles into Shape‐Memory Materials and Enable Photothermal Heating: The Effects of Heterogeneous Temperature Distribution

Blending a shape-memory polymer (SMP) (e.g., thermoplastic polyurethane) with an immiscible carrier polymer (e.g., poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) or poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)) containing dispersed metal nanoparticles (AuNPs) is a simple approach to enable actuation via photothermal heating. For blends containing up to 90% carrier polymer, the shape-memory capability can be thermally triggered either conventionally or utilizing internal heating via application of light that is resonant with the particle’s surface plasmon resonance. When incorporating nanoparticles in this manner, neither chemical modifi cation of the shapememory moiety nor solvation of the SMP is necessary. Actuation times are determined by the particular heterogeneous temperature distribution, which generally occurs under both conventional and photothermal heating methods, but with different spatial patterns. Blending an SMP with PEO containing AuNPs imposes a higher transition temperature (the melting point of PEO), enabling heat generated within the nanoparticle-containing regions to equilibrate throughout the sample, resulting in performance under photothermal conditions comparable with that achieved in a conventional heating approach. SMP:PVA blends actuate at the SMP transition temperature and the response depends on the size of phase segregation between the PVA and SMP; when decreasing the characteristic size of the segregated regions, heat is effi ciently transferred and optimal photothermal performance is observed.
Atrial emptying with orthotopic heart transplantation using bicaval and pulmonary venous anastomoses: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

Objectives. We hypothesized that orthotopic heart transplantation with bicaval and pulmonary venous anastomoses preserves atrial contractility. Background. The standard biatrial anastomotic technique of orthotopic heart transplantation causes impaired function and enlargement of the atria. Cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows assessment of atrial size and function. Methods. We studied 16 patients who had undergone bicaval (n = 8) or biatrial (n = 8) orthotopic heart transplantation without evidence of rejection and a control group of 6 healthy volunteers. For all three groups, cine MRI was performed by combining coronal and axial gated spin echo and gradient echo cine sequences. Intracardiac volumes were calculated with the Simpson rule. Atrial emptying fraction was defined as the difference between atrial diastolic and systolic volumes, divided by atrial diastolic volume, expressed in percent. All patients had right heart catheterization. Results. Right atrial emptying fraction was significantly higher in the bicaval (mean [±SD] 37 ± 9%) than in the biatrial group (22 ± 11%, p Conclusions. Left and right atrial emptying fractions are significantly depressed with the biatrial technique and markedly improved with the bicaval technique of orthotopic heart transplantation. The beneficial effects of the latter technique on atrial function could improve allograft exercise performance.
African-American Diversity in the Boardrooms of the US Fortune 500: director presence, expertise and committee membership

This study examines participation of African-Americans on the boards and board committees of the US Fortune 500. Prior work suggests the use of committee assignment to discern active versus figurehead involvement on boards. We use a logistic regression model that controls for director traits, firm characteristics and director resource-dependence roles to compare the odds that a black director will be assigned to key committees to those for a white director. We find that black directors are more (less) likely than whites to sit on audit and public affairs (executive) committees. Black female directors are more likely than both white females and black males to serve on finance committees. Thus there is some evidence that race plays a role in determining assignment to corporate board committees.
PERINATAL IRON DEFICIENCY DECREASES CYTOCHROME OXIDASE (CytOx) ACTIVITY IN SPECIFIC REGIONS OF NEONATAL RAT BRAIN † 1721

Brain iron deficiency bodes poorly for cognitive neurodevelopment and is present in newborns following gestations complicated by diabetes mellitus or intrauterine growth retardation. CytOx is an iron-containing enzyme involved in oxidative phosphorylation; its activity reflects neuronal metabolism. Regional CytOx activity has been mapped in the iron-sufficient adult rat brain but not in iron-sufficient or -deficient neonates. We hypothesized that neonatal brain iron deficiency alters regional CytOx activity. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were fed iron-deficient or -sufficient chow from GD 1 until PND 7. CytOx activity in 14 brain nuclei (9 involved in memory pathways) was measured histochemically utilizing diaminobenzidine in frozen 15 μ coronal brain sections located approximately 2 mm posterior to the auditory meatus in 13 iron-deficient and 11 iron-sufficient pups. Quantitation of optical density (OD) was by Image-1. Brain iron concentration was 45% lower(p<0.001) with 13% less overall CytOx staining (p<0.001) in the iron-deficient group. CytOx activity loss in the iron- deficient group was not homogeneous; areas with reduced CytOx activity included the caudate/putamen(OD units: 94.8 ± 24.6 v 128.3 ± 33.1; p=0.02), the lateral amygdala (90.1 ± 17.3 v 119.3 ± 35.8; p=0.03) and the hippocampal CA1 region (151 ± 15 v 168 ± 15; p=0.05), while the cingulum, the medial and lateral habenula, and hippocampal areas CA3ab and CA3c of the hippocampus showed no loss. The piriform cortex, the lateral, ventral and dorsomedial thalamic nuclei, the periventricular arcuate hypothalamus and the dentate gyrus showed trends toward losses(p=0.06-0.19). The hippocampus is central to recognition memory circuits, the caudate-putamen and the piriform cortex to working/spatial memory circuits, and the amygdala and cingulum to emotional memory circuits. Perinatal iron deficiency has a non-homogeneous effect on neuronal metabolic activity, with certain nuclei involved in memory processing showing increased vulnerability. This factor may contribute to the poorer long-term developmental outcome observed among infants born following pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes or intrauterine growth retardation. Supported by NICHD.
RHIC vacuum systems

Abstract The relativistic heavy ion collider (RHIC), presently under construction at Brookhaven, has two concentric rings 3.8 km in circumference. There are three distinct vacuum systems in RHIC. The design of these three vacuum systems is presented. The measurement of helium travel within the 480 m cold bore beam tube and the method of locating helium leaks in the long cryostat are also presented.
Optical Properties Of Turbidity Standards

Measurements of light scattering and light attenuation were made for suspensions of formazin and diatomaceous earth. Light scattering was measured for light of wavelength 632.8 nm at angles from 0.1° to 1.0° and for light of wavelengths 400, 500, 550, 600, 650, and 700 nm at 45°. Light attenuation was measured over a 25 cm pathlength for light of 660 nm. These measurements were made for suspensions which varied from 0 to 40 Jackson Turbidity Units of formazin and 0 to 40 mg/1 of diatomaceous earth. The results indicate the necessity for multiple optical measurements for determinations of turbidity of water. In addition the tables and curves presented may be used in the calibration of light scattering meters and transmissometers which are used for turbidity studies.© (1980) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An Efficient Synthesis of α-Bromoacetals via a Combined Chemical and Electrochemical Bromination

Abstract α-Bromoacetals (1) are valuable precursors in synthesis of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds (2), 1-alkoxybutadienes2 (3), ketene acetals3 (4), 2-methoxyallyl bromides4 (5) and other compounds. Because of our interest in the chemistry5,6 of 3 and 4 we attempted to improve known procedures for the preparation of 1 with the aim to get a short and efficient synthesis of these compounds.
Abstract 5358: IL-4/IL-13 induce Duox2/DuoxA2 expression and reactive oxygen production in human pancreatic and colon cancer cells

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA NADPH oxidase (NOX)-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute significantly to inflammation-associated carcinogenesis. Expression of dual oxidase 2 (Duox2), one of seven members of the NOX gene family, is up-regulated in inflammatory bowel disease, chronic pancreatitis, and in many human malignancies including carcinomas of the prostate, lung, and breast. Previously, we demonstrated that Stat1 and/or NF-κB play a critical role in modulating the enhanced expression of Duox2, and its cognate maturation factor DuoxA2, by IFN-γ and lipopolysaccharide in human pancreatic cancer cells. This cytokine-mediated increase in Duox2 expression is responsible for a consequent significant increase in tumor cell H2O2 production and DNA damage. Using Caco2 and T84 human colon cancer lines, and BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cells, we now report that two other pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-4 and IL-13, also strongly induce Duox2/DuoxA2 RNA and protein expression (>5-10-fold after 24h treatment with 50 ng/ml cytokine). In the BxPC-3 line, IL-4 exposure activates the Stat6 signaling pathway, enhances expression of Duox2/DuoxA2 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, and leads to a significant increase in the generation of extracellular H2O2. The transcription and translation inhibitors actinomycin D and cyclohexamide both individually suppress IL-4-induced Duox2 expression, suggesting that IL-4-mediated Duox2 up-regulation is transcriptionally regulated, but that new protein synthesis is also necessary. We found that Stat6 is essential for IL-4-induced Duox2 expression because silencing Stat6 with Stat6-specific siRNA significantly attenuates IL-4-induced Duox2 RNA and protein levels in BxPC-3 cells. To evaluate the potential role of Duox2 in inflammation-associated human cancers further, immunohistochemical studies were performed to semi-quantitatively examine Duox expression using human pancreatic and colon cancer tissue arrays. We found that a majority of samples of pancreatic intra-epithelial neoplasia and frank pancreatic cancer demonstrated high-level expression of Duox , often in association with inflammatory cell infiltrates; high-level Duox expression was also found in most colorectal cancer samples. These studies, in concert with our previous experiments, strongly suggest that ROS, produced as a consequence of cytokine-induced Duox up-regulation, may be associated with the development of inflammation-related gastrointestinal malignancies. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Yongzhong Wu, James H. Doroshow. IL-4/IL-13 induce Duox2/DuoxA2 expression and reactive oxygen production in human pancreatic and colon cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5358. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5358
Morphology and Flight Characteristics of Molossid Bats

Selected aspects of the morphology of bats of the family Molossidae are described and the functional significance of these features are discussed. The structure and proportions of the ears and the wings are considered to reflect primarily the rapid enduring flight typical of molossids. Comparisons of some characteristics of the wings of three molossids and of four bats of the family Vespertilionidae were made, and several aerodynamic relationships were applied to a consideration of the styles and speeds of flight of these bats. Molossid bats in general seem adapted to fast flight in open areas, whereas the vespertilionids studied are apparently suited to slower flight fairly low to the ground, near vegetation and other obstacles.
Methoprene on papayas : persistence and toxicity to different developmental stages of fruit flies (Diptera : Tephritidae)

Toxicity of the insect growth regulator, methoprene, to fruit flies (Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), oriental fruit fly, Dacus dorsalis Hendel, and melon fly, Dacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) is highest in mature larvaer and early pupal stages. Persistence and distribution of methoprene applied to papaya after harvest was determined for three different formulations. Treatment of papaya with 20% methoprene in wax, the candidate formulation for use, resulted in ≈5,000 ppm of the parent compound in the peel and 17 ppm in the pulp 7 d after treatment. This residue concentration resulted in fruit fly mortality levels at the required 99.9968% mortality (Probit 9) rate.
The document interchange architecture: a member of a family of architectures in the SNA environment

DIA, although oriented to an office systems application, can be a general-purpose language used to interchange information and control requests among applications in a distributed processing environment. DIA is defined to be both semantically and syntactically extendable in order to have a long life.
Loss of Klf4 in mice causes altered proliferation and differentiation and precancerous changes in the adult stomach.

Background & Aims: The epithelial zinc-finger transcription factor Klf4 (formerly GKLF) regulates cellular proliferation and differentiation in vitro. Klf4 null mice die by postnatal day 1 and show changes in epithelial differentiation of skin and colon. Methods: We used tissuespecific gene ablation to generate mice lacking Klf4 in their gastric epithelia. Klf4 mutant mice and controls were killed for histology, immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and serum gastrin levels. Klf4 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were analyzed in Foxa3-Cdx2 transgenic mice and controls. Human gastric cancers and matched normal tissue were used for qPCR and immunohistochemistry for KLF4. Results: Klf4 mutant mice survive to adulthood and show increased proliferation and altered differentiation of their gastric epithelia. Klf4 mutants also display aberrant expression of acidic mucins and TFF2/SP-positive cells, findings characteristic of premalignant conditions, but no inflammation, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia, or cancer up to 1 year of age. Expression of KLF4 is nearly absent in human gastric cancer, suggesting that failure to activate KLF4 during normal cellular differentiation may be a common feature of gastric cancers. p21 WAF1/CIP1 is an in vivo target of Klf4, but Klf4 is not a mediator of Cdx2. Conclusions: Loss of a single genetic factor, Klf4, leads to dramatic changes in the gastric epithelia of mice, and Klf4 is part of a regulatory pathway involving p21 WAF1/CIP1 but not Cdx2. Thus, Klf4 is critical for normal gastric epithelial homeostasis.
Help-based tutorials

The consensus of the documentation literature is that users rarely use help, usually preferring to muddle through. To increase use of help, tutorials for novice users could be changed from guided presentations toward using the system's actual help system. To determine whether this approach would increase users' use of help when they encountered problems with an application, we developed an alternative, help-based tutorial introduction to Microsoft Publisher. We compared the behaviors of users introduced to Publisher with the help-based tutorial with the behaviors of users who learned from a traditional tutorial. A balanced study of 22 novice users of Publisher suggests that using a help-based tutorial leads to significantly greater use of help systems when users encounter problems. However, the data also suggest that the increased use of help may not lead to more effective task performance.