cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activin A and hepatocyte growth regulation

The present study was conducted to examine the effect of activin A on growth of rat hepatocytes. EGF induced a 10-fold increase in DNA synthesis as assessed by [3H]thymidine incorporation in cultured hepatocytes. When activin A was added together with EGF, DNA synthesis induced by EGF was markedly inhibited. Inhibition was detected at a concentration of 10−10 M, and 5×10−9 M activin A almost completely blocked EGF-mediated DNA synthesis. Similarly, activin A completely blocked DNA synthesis induced by hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor. Activin A was capable of inhibiting EGF-mediated DNA synthesis, even when added 36 h after the addition of EGF. With the same time interval, TGF-β also blocked EGF-induced DNA synthesis. Although both activin A and TGF-β inhibited growth of hepatocytes in a similar manner, either activin A or TGF-β did not compete with each other in their binding when assessed by competitive binding using an iodinated ligand. When hepatocytes were incubated with EGF, release of bioactivity of activin A into culture medium was detected after 48 h or later. Activity of activin A was released from parenchymal cells but not from non-parenchymal cells. mRNA for βA subunit of activin was detected only slightly in unstimulated hepatocytes, but markedly increased at 48 h after the addition of EGF. To determine whether endogenously produced activin A affects DNA synthesis, we examined the effect of follistatin, an activin-binding protein that blocks the action of activin A. An addition of follistatin significantly enhanced EGF-induced DNA synthesis. Finally, in partial hepatectomized rat, expression of mRNA for βA subunit in liver was markedly increased 24 h after the partial hepatectomy. These results indicate that activin A inhibits initiation of DNA synthesis in hepatocytes by acting on its own receptor and that activin A acts as an autocrine inhibitor of DNA synthesis in rat hepatocytes.
Measurement and prediction of three-phase water/hydrocarbon equilibria

A sequential isochoric flash experiment is described for measurement of three-phase (VLL) equilibria for aqueous systems with one or more hydrocarbon components. Data are reported for a number of systems of interest in the thermal recovery of crude oil via steam distillation. A Peng-Robinson equation-of-state model is shown to provide reasonable a priori prediction of these measurements. Improved equations for prediction of the binary interaction constants kij are presented for use with the van der Waals combining rules.
The use of the Internet for corporate reporting in the Mercosur (Southern common market): The Argentina case

Abstract This study examines disclosure practices on the websites of companies listed on the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange. We perform content analysis to provide evidence on Internet reporting practices by 84 publicly traded firms. We also identify the characteristics of firms that communicate financial and non-financial information on the Internet. We find that companies in the financial and insurance, services and mining industries disclose more financial and non-financial information on their websites than companies in other industries. The average concentration of ownership is 68%, with 27% of the companies being controlled by foreign groups. Those companies with higher concentration disclose more financial and non financial information than companies with less concentration. Companies in the financial and insurance and service industries, utilize their websites for commercial purposes to facilitate access to customers to their accounts and also to sell services. This e-commerce usage of websites is less developed in other industries. About 71% of companies in the financial and insurance industry are included in the Merval25 index and are audited by Big 4. These companies are both larger in size and less profitable than companies in other industries. We find that profitability and leverage do not have significant effect on corporate Internet reporting practices and that growth has negative effect on corporate Internet reporting practices. We also find that companies in the mining sector provide significantly more disclosure about social responsibility indicating a desire to improve the public image of harming the environment. The results documented, herein, extend the literature on voluntary disclosure of financial and non-financial information using the Internet in emerging markets.
Anisotropy and dimensional stability of polyimide films

In-plane mechanical properties, coefficients of thermal and hygroscopic expansion, and dimensional changes due to stress relaxation were measured as a function of direction in one, three, and five-mil polyimide films. Although these films were made by a casting process, they exhibited significant anisotropy in the properties tested. This anisotropy was apparently due to preferential orientation of the polymer which occurred during the manufacturing process.
Electrical conductivity and crystal structure of piperazinium 10-silver 12-iodide·4-dimethylformamide

Crystals of (C4N2H12)Ag10I12·4C3H7NO contain channels formed by face-sharing iodide tetrahedra. These channels, parallel to the monoclinic c-axis, are isolated from each other by the (C4N2H12)2+ ions and C3H7NO molecules. Electrical measurements along the c-axis of the crystals at 200 psig (argon) indicate that the material does not become a true solid electrolyte below 332 K, the decomposition temperature. Structural considerations show that despite the substantial ratio (3:1) of sites to Ag+ ions, the material is not expected to become a solid electrolyte, if it retains its room temperature structure, at any temperature or pressure.
A polynomial time generator for minimal perfect hash functions

A perfect hash function PHF is an injection F from a set W of M objects into the set consisting of the first N nonnegative integers where N g M. If N = M, then F is a minimal perfect hash function, MPHF. PHFs are useful for the compact storage and fast retrieval of frequently used objects such as reserved words in a programming language or commonly employed words in a natural language.The mincycle algorithm for finding PHFs executes with an expected time complexity that is polynomial in M and has been used successfully on sets of cardinality up to 512. Given three pseudorandom functions h0, h1, and h2, the mincycle algorithm searches for a function g such that F(w) = (h0(w) + g ° h1(w) + g ° h2(w)) mod N is a PHF.
Joint estimation of HRR and DOA for target recognition

Eigen-structure based technique is used to jointly estimate the direction of arrival (DOA) of a radar signal and the high range resolution (HRR) profile of a target as seen by a stepped-frequency radar. Real aircraft data is used to demonstrate the viability of the proposed method and a target recognition system is developed based on the extracted scattering information.
Abstract 2849: Optimization and pharmacokinetic characterization of potent CXCR4 antagonist CovX-Bodies

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Here we describe a series of CXCR4 antagonist CovX-Bodies, produced by covalently attaching CXCR4 antagonist peptides to a humanized IgG1 molecule with the goal of producing molecules with the potency and specificity of peptides and the pharmacokinetic parameters of an antibody. Extensive SAR was performed on peptides derived from T140, a highly charged 14 amino acid cyclic peptide containing 4 Arginine residues. Both the free peptides and the associated CovX-bodies were potent antagonists of CXCR4 in vitro, and SAR studies were consistent with a model of both allosteric and orthosteric inhibition. However, in vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) studies revealed an unexpected and CXCR4-independent disappearance of the CovX-Bodies from circulation, such that approximately 10% of the injected CovX-Body remained in circulation 1 hour after i.v. injection into mice. Based on the known nonspecific cell-penetrating properties of Arginine-rich peptides, we hypothesized that Arginine replacement and charge neutralization would improve the pharmacokinetics of the CovX-Bodies. We identified substitutions that could replace up to 3 of the 4 Arg residues while retaining potent CXCR4 binding and antagonism, but Arg2 was obligate. However, these CovX-Bodies were only modestly improved in PK, indicating that that the anomalous in vivo behavior was not solely a function of charge or the net number of Arg residues. Only the replacement of Arg2 significantly improved the pharmacokinetics of the CovX-Bodies, but also resulted in a loss of CXCR4 antagonism. Extensive SAR failed to identify a suitable replacement residue for Arg2, nor did alternative structural forms such as 5 member, bicyclic, or reversed ring molecules have significantly improved pharmacokinetics. Based on these data, we conclude that the specific property of the peptide that allows potent inhibition of CXCR4, of which Arg2 is an integral component, also mediates binding to moieties other than CXCR4, leading to the depletion of these molecules from circulation. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2849. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2849
Effects of subliminal anchors upon judgments of size.

The origins of laboratory studies of the effects of subliminal stimulation appear to be almost coincident with the development of experimental psychology itself. The fact thar research in this area continues uninterrupted attests to the conviction of psychologists that stimuli of which 0 is not aware may, and often do, affect his behavior. Even so, Adarns, in a comprehensive review of laboratory findings, concluded that the only kind of data which can easily be replicated are demonstrated in . . . "Experiments in which the subject knows the specific nature of the cue, but is not aware of the usual sensory qualities nor of the fact chat he is succeeding in discriminating" ( 1, p. 385). But in chis type of study there is a major problem in the definition of the threshold of the stimulus or cue. It is usually defined operarionally in terms of the limiting conditions of stimulus presentation necessary to evoke a particular response. The response chosen is always one which is a directly communicable indication of recognition of the particular sensory input. Too often the threshold is defined very narrowly in terms of the limiting conditions for the occurrence of one particular response rather than for awareness of the stimulus, and this response is presumed to correlate exactly with stimulus discrimination. Whenever 0 is "aware" of any aspect of a stimulus, one is never safe in assuming that his responses to it are not based on its consciously perceptible properties (even rhough 0s repeatedly assert that such is not rhe case). The study by Pierce and Jastrow ( 11) cited by Adams ( 1, p. 385) as a classical example of the type of experiment which consistently produces positive results, is a case in point. A small weight was applied to the top of 0's finger, and, upon a signal from him, was increased or decreased a slight amount, 0 being required to judge the direction of change. Even though 0s reported that their judgments were made with zero confidence, they were correct significantly beyond chance expectancy. It should be noted that the stimuli to which 0s responded were not szbblimiml. Only the changes in stimulus-intensity were subliminal with reference to the threshold for verbal statements of confidence. They were obviously not consistently below the critical cutaneous difference limen as defrned by 0s' judgments of change Since forced-choiced discrimination thresholds are demonsrrably below absolute yes-no discrimination thresholds (3), and 0s were aware of the presence of the stimuli being judged, the assumption of a subliminal
Method for collecting thermocouple data via secured shell over a wireless local area network in real time

This manuscript addresses the design, hardware details, construction, and programming of an apparatus allowing an experimenter to monitor and record high-temperature thermocouple measurements of dynamic systems in real time. The apparatus uses wireless network technology to bridge the gap between a dynamic (moving) sample frame and the static laboratory frame. Our design is a custom solution applied to samples that rotate through large angular displacements where hard-wired and typical slip-ring solutions are not practical because of noise considerations. The apparatus consists of a Raspberry PI mini-Linux computer, an Arduino micro-controller, an Ocean Controls thermocouple multiplexer shield, and k-type thermocouples.
A Revision of the Genus Blissus (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae) in Eastern North America

The lygaeid genus Blissus (chinch bugs) contains species which are important economic pests on Gramineae, yet the taxonomy of this genus is poorly understood. This study is an attempt to clarify the taxonomy of the species from eastern North America. Data from a recent biosystematic study of the leucopterus complex are also used. The fauna of this region includes B. leucopterus leucopterus (Say), I. hirtus Montandon, arenarius arenarius Barber, a. maritimus Leonard, insularis Barber, breviusculus Barber, iowensis Andre, barberi, sp. nov., sweeti sp. nov., minutus (Blatchley) new comb., and nanus Barber. B. validus Blatchley is synonymized with l. lencopterus. Keys are given to the adults of the species just listed and the nymphs of the “ leucopterus complex.” Neotypes are designated for l. leucopterus and l. hirtus. More complete adult descriptions are included. The nymphs of a. arenarius, a. maritimus, I. hirtus, insularis, breviusculus, and sweeti are described. Biological information is included on minutus, breviusculus, barberi, and sweeti, as well as data of the chromosomes of breviusculus and sweeti.
Effects of Intercropping with Flowering Plants on Predation of Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Eggs by Generalist Predators in Bell Peppers

Bell pepper plots intercropped with flowering plants were measured for improving biological control provided by natural enemies of the European corn borer [Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner)]. The intercropped plants Dill, Anethum graveolens L.; coriander, Coriandrum sativum L.; and buckwheat, Fagopyrum escuelentum Moench; were established on the edge of two pepper plots and compared with nonintercropped control plots. Predation by the three species Orius insidiosus Say; Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer; and Chrysoperla, sp. Stephens, was monitored by installing O. nubilalis egg masses on sentinel plants in 2008, 2009, and 2010. To assess negative impacts of alternative prey on O. nubilalis egg predation, green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) populations were monitored via whole-plant counts in 2009 and 2010. Myzus persicae densities on pepper plants peaked in June or July and then declined rapidly. Predation on O. nubilalis eggs increased rapidly after aphid populations declined. Aphid populations were reduced in two out of three field-seasons in intercropped plots. Seasonal predation by O. insidiosus was significantly higher in the intercropped system four out of five field-seasons and one field season by C. maculata. Results indicate that biocontrol of O. nubilalis can be improved by intercropping with flowering plants, although this capacity may depend on the abundance of alternative prey.
Overview of severe mental illness

The severe mental illnesses are psychiatric disorders characterized by their persistence and extensive disability. Classification of these disorders has seen improved reliability, but problems remain with validity. Etiological formulations emphasize the biological origins of the disorders, but psychological factors, chiefly in the area of stress, are recognized as important in the management of relapse. Psychological features, especially those apparent during psychotic episodes, make the disorders particularly difficult to treat. Patients tend to be noncompliant. In addition, these features dispose people with severe mental illnesses to behaviors that place them at risk for HIV and other catastrophic illnesses. New psychopharmacological treatments may improve compliance and reduce relapse, but none has made psychosocial treatments unnecessary. Progress in developing effective treatments has been slow, but prospects are encouraging.
Increase in Multistate Foodborne Disease Outbreaks-United States, 1973-2010.

Abstract Introduction: Changes in food production and distribution have increased opportunities for foods contaminated early in the supply chain to be distributed widely, increasing the possibility of multistate outbreaks. In recent decades, surveillance systems for foodborne disease have been improved, allowing officials to more effectively identify related cases and to trace and identify an outbreak's source. Materials and Methods: We reviewed multistate foodborne disease outbreaks reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System during 1973–2010. We calculated the percentage of multistate foodborne disease outbreaks relative to all foodborne disease outbreaks and described characteristics of multistate outbreaks, including the etiologic agents and implicated foods. Results: Multistate outbreaks accounted for 234 (0.8%) of 27,755 foodborne disease outbreaks, 24,003 (3%) of 700,600 outbreak-associated illnesses, 2839 (10%) of 29,756 outbreak-asso...
Genetic Variants in Cyclooxygenase-2 Contribute to Post-treatment Pain among Endodontic Patients.

Abstract Introduction Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have a well-established analgesic efficacy for inflammatory pain. These drugs exert their effect by inhibiting the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) and are commonly used for the management of pain after endodontic treatment. There are 2 distinct isoforms of COX: COX-1, which is constitutively expressed, and COX-2, which is primarily induced by inflammation. Previous studies have shown that functional human genetic variants of the COX-2 gene may explain individual variations in acute pain. The present study extends this work by examining the potential contribution of the 2 COX isoforms to pain after endodontic treatment. Methods Ninety-four patients treated by endodontic residents at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry were enrolled into a prospective cohort study. Data on potential predictors of post-treatment pain were collected, and all patients submitted saliva samples for genetic analysis. Nonsurgical root canal therapy was performed, and participants recorded pain levels for 5 days after. Results In this study, 63% of patients experienced at least mild pain after root canal therapy, and 24% experienced moderate to severe pain. The presence of pretreatment pain was correlated with higher post-treatment pain (P = .01). Elevated heart rate (P = .02) and higher diastolic blood pressure (P = .024) were also correlated with decreased post-treatment pain. Finally, we identified genetic variants in COX-2 (haplotype composed of rs2383515 G, rs5277 G, rs5275 T, and rs2206593 A) associated with post-treatment pain after endodontic treatment (P = .025). Conclusions Understanding the genetic basis of pain after endodontic treatment will advance its prevention and management.
Non-Hydrogen Bonding ‘Terminator’ Nucleosides Increase the 3′-end Homogeneity of Enzymatic RNA and DNA Synthesis

We report the use of novel non-polar nucleoside analogues as terminators of enzymatic RNA and DNA synthesis. Standard 'runoff' RNA synthesis by T7 RNA polymerase gives RNA products which have ragged ends as a result of transcription which often extends beyond the end of the template DNA strand. Similarly, the Klenow fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I tends to run past the end of the template strand during DNA synthesis. We report here that certain non-hydrogen-bonding nucleoside analogues, when placed at the downstream 5'-end of a template DNA strand, cause the polymerases to stop more abruptly at the last coding nucleotide. This results in a considerably more homogeneous oligonucleotide being produced. Three novel nucleosides are tested as potential terminators: 4-methylindole beta-deoxynucleoside (M), 1-naphthyl alpha-deoxynucleoside (N) and 1-pyrenyl alpha-deoxynucleoside (P). Comparison is made to an abasic nucleoside (phi) and to unterminated synthesis. Of these, M is found to be the most efficient at terminating transcription, and both P and M are highly effective at terminating DNA synthesis. It is also found that the ability of a nucleoside to stall synthesis when it is internally placed in the template strand is not necessarily a good predictor of terminating ability at the end of a template. Such terminator nucleosides may be useful in the preparative enzymatic synthesis of RNA and DNA, rendering purification simpler and lowering the cost of synthesis by preventing the uptake of potentially costly nucleotides into unwanted products.
Uterine Activity in Late Pregnancy and During Parturition in the Rat

Uterine activity was recorded in 17 unanesthetized, unrestrained pregnant rats by means of intrauterine balloons inserted at a previous operation. Recordings of intrauterine pressure changes were obtained from Day 18 of gestation onwards and throughout spontaneous delivery, which occurred on Days 22 or 23 of gestation. Oxytocin was injected intravenously through an indwelling polyethylene catheter at intervals. The uterus of the pregnant rat was never quiescent except for short periods of time and it responded to moderate doses of oxytocin (10 mU) throughout the period studied. However, a changing pattern and character of contractions was consistently observed in late pregnancy and toward term the intensity of the uterine response to oxytocin increased markedly. Parturition occurred at a time when the uterine oxytocin sensitivity was maximal. The expulsion of the litter was preceded by a period of continuous uterine activity lasting 2.5 hr on the average and by a period of 5-30 mm of bearing down efforts before the delivery of the first fetus. The deliver�� of successive littermates was associated with continuous uterine activity and only a few abdominal straining efforts, and lasted 1.5 hr on the average. After the last fetus and placenta were born the uterine activity disappeared quickly and in 10-30 mm the uterus was completely quiescent except for infrequently occurring cycles consisting of 3-4 contractions. Rhythmic regular activity started 8-12 hr postpartum.
Tris+/Na+ permeability ratios of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are reduced by mutations near the intracellular end of the M2 region

Tris+/Na+ permeability ratios were measured from shifts in the biionic reversal potentials of the macroscopic ACh-induced currents for 3 wild-type (WT), 1 hybrid, 2 subunit-deficient, and 25 mutant nicotinic receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes. At two positions near the putative intracellular end of M2, 2' (alpha Thr244, beta Gly255, gamma Thr253, delta Ser258) and -1', point mutations reduced the relative Tris+ permeability of the mouse receptor as much as threefold. Comparable mutations at several other positions had no effects on relative Tris+ permeability. Mutations in delta had a greater effect on relative Tris+ permeability than did comparable mutations in gamma; omission of the mouse delta subunit (delta 0 receptor) or replacement of mouse delta with Xenopus delta dramatically reduced relative Tris+ permeability. The WT mouse muscle receptor (alpha beta gamma delta) had a higher relative permeability to Tris+ than the wild-type Torpedo receptor. Analysis of the data show that (a) changes in the Tris+/Na+ permeability ratio produced by mutations correlate better with the hydrophobicity of the amino acid residues in M2 than with their volume; and (b) the mole-fraction dependence of the reversal potential in mixed Na+/Tris+ solutions is approximately consistent with the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz voltage equation. The results suggest that the main ion selectivity filter for large monovalent cations in the ACh receptor channel is the region delimited by positions -1' and 2' near the intracellular end of the M2 helix.
How does the collection of genetic test results affect research participants

The collection of genetic test results has become routine in clinical research. Yet, there are few data on the impact of this practice. The present study provides the first empirical data that we are aware of on the impact this practice has on research participants. The findings suggest that collection of genetic test results in the research setting increases many individuals' desire to know the results themselves. Some respondents attributed this effect to the fact that the data existed, while others did not want investigators to have information about them that they did not possess. A smaller proportion of respondents assumed that investigators who had collected genetic test results would monitor their clinical significance over time. These respondents were less inclined to want to know their genetic test results once an investigator was aware of them. Investigators and IRBs should recognize these phenomena and address them in the design and conduct of studies which collect genetic information.
Trust learning based on past experience

The paper studies how trust can be learned trough repeated interactions. A threshold model is assumed according to which an agent, will engage in an interaction with another agent if the level of trust exceeds some subjective threshold. In the paper, we define a repeated trust game and find equilibrium strategies. The equilibrium shows that the threshold model does not promote complete trustworthiness. In the equilibrium, instead of always honoring trust, the trustee alternates between honoring and abusing trust so that to keep the trustor's estimate above the threshold. In other words, the threshold represents the level of tolerance for abusing trust.
State Social Services Contracting: Exploring the Determinants of Effective Contract Accountability

This article examines the effectiveness of contract accountability in social service contracts. The analysis is based on five case studies of Kansas contracts for selected welfare, Medicaid, and foster care and adoption services. Results indicate the state has achieved moderate to high levels of accountability effectiveness, especially in terms of specifying social service contracts and selecting appropriate accountability strategies. However, accountability is undermined by the use of risk shifting, reliance on a system of multiple competing providers, and the adoption of new information technologies. These conclusions contradict the conventional wisdom, theory, and existing research on contracting.
Opportunities for performance improvement in relation to medication administration during pediatric stabilization

Objectives: To identify and characterize areas for improvement in the clinical performance of nurses in relation to medication administration. Method: Nurses participated in a simulated pediatric stabilization event which was videotaped. Their clinical performance was evaluated at each of the following steps: (1) communicating and confirming the dose of medication; (2) converting the dose; (3) selecting the correct medications; (4) properly preparing the medication formulation; and (5) measuring medication doses. The time required to convert and draw up the medications was also evaluated. Results: A total of 150 medication orders for five medications were given by the physician. Only 55% of the orders were verbally repeated back by the nurses. Of the 120 orders in which the doses were converted from milligrams to milliliters by nurses, 17 (14.2%) were converted incorrectly and the maximum dose deviation reached 400%. Selection of the wrong medication occurred in 11 of the 150 orders. Dextrose (which requires dilution before being administered to children) was not diluted in 17% of the medication orders and in 12% it was diluted improperly. About 40% of the orders for ceftriaxone (which requires reconstitution) were not properly reconstituted. In 49 (32.7%) of the 150 medication orders that were drawn up in a syringe, the amount measured was not consistent with the stated dose. For some medications, a prolonged time was required by nurses to convert the doses and draw up the medications. Conclusions: By observing the clinical performance of nurses in a simulated videotaped pediatric stabilization event, we have identified some important areas in need of improvement in each step of the medication administration process. These findings indicate a need for improved education, training, and use of clinical aids or adjuncts for pediatric emergency nurses.
Marine Wastewater Discharges from Multiport Diffusers. III: Stratified Stationary Water

Experiments on the near-field mixing of wastewater discharged from multiport diffusers into a stationary density-stratified environment are reported for conditions typical of ocean sewage outfalls. Dilutions were measured with a microconductivity probe in which the test tank was stratified with a nonconducting solution; geometrical characteristics such as rise height and layer thickness were measured by planar laser-induced fluorescence in which the test tank was stratified with refractive-index matched fluids. The port spacing was varied over a wide range encompassing rapidly merging to nonmerging plumes. The end of the near-field occurs at a distance of order one plume rise height from the diffuser. At this point the turbulence and mixing induced by the discharge is effectively damped by the ambient stratification, and little near-field mixing occurs beyond it. The results were analyzed in terms of line and point-source parameters to deduce the ranges of port spacings for which line and point plume solutions apply. Equations to predict the near-field characteristics are presented.
‘eagle’=‘bird’: a note on the structure and evolution of Shoshoni ethnoornithological nomenclature1

This paper provides an ethnozoological example of the processes described by Berlin for the evolution of ethnobotanical nomenclature. An unusual feature of Shoshoni ethnoornithology is the existence of named intermediate categories, which precede the life form label, of which they are the source; furthermore, they seem to derive from a process different from those postulated by Berlin. The conceptual distinction which the intermediate categories make and the intermediate life-form polysemy are not unique to Shoshoni. These facts may require a reconsideration of the significance and temporal ordering of intermediate categories in Berlin's theory.
Mercury: selenium interactions and health implications

Measuring the amount of mercury present in the environment or food sources may provide an inadequate reflection of the potential for health risks if the protective effects of selenium are not also considered. Selenium's involvement is apparent throughout the mercury cycle, influencing its transport, biogeochemical exposure, bioavailability, toxicological consequences, and remediation. Likewise, numerous studies indicate that selenium, present in many foods (including fish), protects against mercury exposure. Studies have also shown mercury exposure reduces the activity of selenium dependent enzymes. While seemingly distinct, these concepts may actually be complementary perspectives of the mercury-selenium binding interaction. Owing to the extremely high affinity between mercury and selenium, selenium sequesters mercury and reduces its biological availability. It is obvious that the converse is also true; as a result of the high affinity complexes formed, mercury sequesters selenium. This is important because selenium is required for normal activity of numerous selenium dependent enzymes. Through diversion of selenium into formation of insoluble mercury-selenides, mercury may inhibit the formation of selenium dependent enzymes while supplemental selenium supports their continued synthesis. Further research into mercury-selenium interactions will help us understand the consequences of mercury exposure and identify populations which may be protected or at greater risk to mercury’s toxic effects.
Methodologies for predicting the performance of Ni-Cr-Mo alloys proposed for high level nuclear waste containers

For the geologic disposal of the high level nuclear waste (HLW), aqueous corrosion is considered to be the most important factor in the long-term performance of containers, which are the main components of the engineered barrier subsystem. Container life, in turn, is important to the overall performance of the repository system. The proposed container designs and materials have evolved to include multiple barriers and highly corrosion resistant Ni-Cr-Mo alloys, such as Alloys 625 and C-22. Calculations of container life require knowledge of the initiation time and growth rate of localized corrosion. In the absence of localized corrosion, the rate of general or uniform dissolution, given by the passive current density of these materials, is needed. The onset of localized corrosion may be predicted by using the repassivation and corrosion potentials of the candidate container materials in the range of expected repository environments. In initial corrosion tests, chloride was identified as the most detrimental anionic species to the performance of Ni-Cr-Mo alloys. Repassivation potential measurements for Alloys 825, 625, and C-22, conducted over a wide range of chloride concentrations and temperatures, are reported. In addition, steady state passive current density, which will determine the container lifetime in the absence of localizedmore » corrosion, was measured for Alloy C-22 under various environmental conditions.« less
Overabundance of Putative Cancer Stem Cells in Human Skin Keratinocyte Cells Malignantly Transformed by Arsenic

Arsenic is a human skin carcinogen. Cancer is probably a disease driven by stem cells (SCs), and SCs are likely a key target during arsenic oncogenesis. In utero arsenic exposure predisposes mice to skin cancers that overproduce cancer SCs (CSCs) and have distorted CSC signaling and population dynamics. Therefore, we hypothesized CSC accumulation may occur during arsenic-induced malignant transformation in vitro of human skin keratinocytes. Thus, the HaCaT cell line, malignantly transformed by arsenite (100nM, 30 weeks; termed As-TM cells) in prior work, was further studied for the quantity and nature of SCs after this transformation. SCs were isolated from passage-matched control and As-TM cells by a magnetic bead system that enriches for CD34-positive cells. There were 2.5 times more SCs isolated from As-TM cells than control. Holoclone production from As-TM putative CSCs was 2.5-fold higher by 1 week and 3.5-fold higher by 2 weeks than control SCs. Potential malignant phenotype was assessed in isolated SC/CSCs. Transcript level of SC/CSC markers were elevated in both isolated As-TM CSCs and control SCs compared with parental cells, but compared with control SCs, As-TM putative CSCs had elevated CD34, K5, K14, K15, and K19 transcripts and dramatically stronger staining for p63, Rac1, K5, Notch1, and K19. As-TM putative CSCs also showed markedly elevated MMP-9 secretion and colony formation, indicators of cancer phenotype, even compared with total population of As-TM cells. Thus, malignant phenotype is particularly pronounced in CSCs after arsenic-induced transformation of human skin cells and occurs concurrently with a potential overproduction of these cells.
Strongyloidiasis in Transplant Patients

Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal nematode that can persist in the human host for decades after the initial infection and can progress to fulminant hyperinfection syndrome in immunocompromised hosts. We describe a patient who died of Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome 2 months after orthotopic heart transplantation and discuss approaches to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Current practice guidelines recommend screening for and treatment of Strongyloides infection before transplantation, but physicians in the United States often miss opportunities to identify patients with chronic strongyloidiasis. Screening tests have limitations, and clinical suspicion remains an important component of the evaluation before transplantation. After immunocompromised patients develop hyperinfection syndrome, diagnosis is often delayed and mortality is high, so emphasis must be placed on screening and treatment before transplantation. We review current strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic intestinal strongyloidiasis in patients who will undergo transplantation and discuss the clinical features and management of Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome in transplant recipients.
SNIPS: A Software-Defined Approach for Scaling Intrusion Prevention Systems via Offloading

Growing traffic volumes and the increasing complexity of attacks pose a constant scaling challenge for network intrusion prevention systems (NIPS). In this respect, offloading NIPS processing to compute clusters offers an immediately deployable alternative to expensive hardware upgrades. In practice, however, NIPS offloading is challenging on three fronts in contrast to passive network security functions: (1) NIPS offloading can impact other traffic engineering objectives; (2) NIPS offloading impacts user perceived latency; and (3) NIPS actively change traffic volumes by dropping unwanted traffic. To address these challenges, we present the SNIPS system. We design a formal optimization framework that captures tradeoffs across scalability, network load, and latency. We provide a practical implementation using recent advances in software-defined networking without requiring modifications to NIPS hardware. Our evaluations on realistic topologies show that SNIPS can reduce the maximum load by up to 10× while only increasing the latency by 2%.
The in ovo conversion of oestrone to oestrone sulfate is rapid and subject to inhibition by Bisphenol A

Vertebrate embryos develop in the presence of maternally derived steroids. While these steroids can influence development, embryonic enzymes are thought to buffer some steroid sensitive processes, such as gonadal differentiation, from the effects of maternal steroids. Many of these same enzymes may also buffer the embryo from chemicals present in the environment, but this may alter their capacity to metabolize maternal steroids. Here, we characterized the ability of red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta) embryos to metabolize oestrone immediately following oviposition and tested whether a prevalent environmental chemical, Bisphenol A (BPA), would affect the in ovo conversion of oestrone to oestrone sulfate. We found that tritiated oestrone applied at the time of oviposition is mostly converted to oestrone sulfate within 6 h. However, when BPA is present, that conversion is inhibited, resulting in elevated oestrone levels. Our finding of rapid in ovo metabolism of steroids suggests that maternally derived enzymes are present in the egg and can alter embryonic exposure to exogenous chemicals. The disruption of this metabolism by BPA demonstrates how environmental chemicals might change embryonic exposure to endogenous substances within the egg. Taken together, these findings highlight the dynamic nature of the early endocrine environment in developing vertebrates.
Neuroendocrine Responses to Starvation and Weight Loss

The inability to consume enough calories to meet energy requirements is a common threat to survival. To meet this danger, animals retard their fuel depletion by lowering their metabolic rate and changing fuel substrates. They also stimulate their feeding behavior and defer the high energy cost of reproduction by suppressing gonadal function. We are now beginning to understand the physiologic basis of these responses. Historical Background Early investigators1,2 established that after the first few days of starvation, free fatty acids and ketone bodies, rather than glucose, become the predominant fuels. The adaptive value of this switch derives from the . . .
Diagnosis and Treatment of Postinfection Bronchiliotis Obliterans

Objective To summarize the clinical features,diagnosis and treatment of postinfection bronchiolitis obliterans.Methods Clinical manifestation,chest X-ray,characteristics of lung function,computed tomography(CT) of 6 patients with postinfection bronchiolitis obliterans from August 2009 to June 2012 were analyzed retrospectively.Results All 6 cases were diagnosed as bronchiolitis obliterans after pneumonia.One patient had severe pneumonia complicated with congenital atrial septal defect and heart failure.3 cases were complicated with varying degrees of cardiac insufficiency.Adenovirus in sputum sample were found in 2 cases,smear positive for parainfluenza virus was found in 1 case,mycoplasma were found in 2 cases,and no specific pathogen was found in the last one.All 6 cases were suffered from persistent cough,wheezing and shortness of breath with three depression sign in 4 cases.The symptoms lasted for at least 6 weeks.Crackles and wheezing were present in all 6 cases.Small airway lesion was presented by pulmonary CT.Bronchiectasis was showed in 2 cases,atelectasis in 1 case,and consolidation in 1 case.Pulmonary function tests showed mixed ventilatory dysfunction.Bronchofiberscope examination was operated in 5 cases,only endotracheitis was found.Prednisone and azithromycin were given orally in all the cases,but the clinical symptoms were persistent in the course of treatment and no death occured.Conclusions Clinical symptoms of bronchiolitis obliterans are characterized by persistent cough and wheezing.Small airway lesions were present in pulmonary CT.Repeated lower respiratory infection is common.Prednisone is widely used in treatment of bronchiolitis obliterans,but the therapeutic effect is uncertain.
Existence or Abolishment of Death Penalty, Public Opinion and Public Participation——From the Perspective of the Referee System of Japan

Practice abroad has shown that restriction and abolishment of death penalty are macro political decisions of countries; therefore,public opinion has become an important element affecting decision of death penalty,which is a natural thing. The main reason why the decision-making authority of our country has been hanging back about the problem of restriction and abolishment of death penalty is that the public strongly support death penalty and its application. Based on interactive and alternative relationship between death capital judicature and public opinion,we need to actively take advantage of interaction mechanism between public opinion and death penalty judicature and form public opinion supporting the abolition of death penalty in order to lay the good foundation of public opinion for the future reforms of death penalty. From the status quo of death penalty application of four years since the implementation of the referee system of Japan and public opinion survey,it is an effective way to let social members personally feel pressure given by death sentence by expanding public participation of death penalty judicature in order to change public opinion of death penalty. Besides,to improve people's assessor, to establish disclosure system of death penalty information and to standardize public participation of death penalty cases are also effective in the guidance of public opinions.
Pressure-induced phase transformation in β-eucryptite: An X-ray diffraction and density functional theory study

Abstract Certain alumino-silicates display exotic properties enabled by their framework structure made of corner-sharing tetrahedral rigid units. Using in situ diamond-anvil cell x-ray diffraction (XRD), we study the pressure-induced transformation of β eucryptite, a prototypical alumino-silicate that undergoes a phase transformation at moderate pressures. The atomic structure and symmetry group of the new pressure-stabilized phase has not yet been reported. Based on density functional theory studies and Rietveld analysis of XRD patterns, we find that the new phase belongs to the Pna2 1 space group and report its atomic structure. Furthermore, we discover two other possible pressure-stabilized polymorphs, P1c1 and Pca2 1.
The Hydrophobic Effect in Solute Partitioning and Interfacial Tension

Studies of the partitioning of hydrophobic solutes between water and nonpolar solvents provide estimates for the energy cost of creating hydrophobic-water contacts. This energy is a factor of three lower than the work of adhesion derived from interfacial tension measurements. This discrepancy noted by Tanford in 1979 is widely viewed as a serious challenge to our understanding of hydrophobic interactions. However, the interfacial energy of a water-alkane interface depends on chain length. A simple analysis of published data shows that the loss of rotational freedom of an alkane chain at an interface accounts quantitatively for the length-dependent contribution to interfacial tension, leaving a length-independent contribution very close to the free energy of transfer per unit of solvent accessible surface area. This analysis thus clarifies the discrepancy between the thermodynamic and interfacial tension measurements of hydrophobic interaction energy. Alkanes do not loose rotational freedom when transferred between two different liquid phases but they do at an interface. This reconciles the difference between microscopic and macroscopic measurements. Like the partitioning free energy, the work of adhesion also has a large entropy and small enthalpy at 20 oC.