cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a Screening Method for Drought Tolerance in Cotton Seedlings

The key to an efficient screening method is the ability to screen large amounts of plant material in the shortest time possible. Due to the complexity of drought tolerance, a quick and effective screen for this trait has yet to be established. The research reported herein was designed to evaluate a screening method for drought tolerance in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) seedlings. Twenty-one converted race stocks (CRS) and two cultivars were evaluated for seedling drought tolerance (SDT) on an individual plant basis. Genotypes were evaluated October-November 2004 and February-March 2005 under greenhouse conditions. Seedlings were subjected to three sequential cycles of drought at 15 d after planting (DAP). Drought cycles consisted of withholding water until the moisture content of indicator 'Deltapine 491' (DP 491) plants had an average volumetric water content of 0.07. Plants then were watered to saturation and allowed to drain to field capacity and percent survival recorded after 48 h. Genotypes differed in their percent survival following three consecutive drought cycles. Drought cycles 2 and 3 did not contribute to the separation of genotypes. DP 491 was the most tolerant genotype evaluated. The drought tolerance of the CRS was similar to that of 'Acala 1517-99'. CRS M-9044-0165 was the most stable genotype, according to an analysis of the difference in percentage of survival for each genotype across the two experiments.
Mode of cytotoxic action of nephrotoxic agents: oxidative stress and glutathione-dependent enzyme.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the cytotoxic action of nephrotoxic agents using an in vitro renal cell model, focusing on the cellular oxidative status and a specific glutathione (GSH)-dependent enzyme, glyoxalase I (Gly-I). MATERIALS AND METHODS Renal proximal tubular LLC-PK1 cells were exposed to mercuric chloride, glycerol, cisplatin, gentamicin and cyclosporin A, and cell number/viability were determined. Oxidative stress was assessed by lipid peroxidation (LPO) assay, and Gly-I activity was measured by enzymatic method on a spectrophotometer. RESULTS Both mercuric chloride (30 µm) and glycerol (2.5%) were highly toxic to LLC-PK1 cells, inducing >90% cell death within 24 h. The remaining agents led to slightly >50% growth inhibition at 72 h. The LPO levels at 3 h in cells exposed to mercuric chloride or glycerol were ≈2.5 times higher than that in controls. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a potent antioxidant and precursor for GSH, almost completely (>95%) prevented renal cell death from mercuric chloride or glycerol. Gly-I activity was dependent on NAC and closely associated with cell viability. A ≈65% loss in Gly-I activity by mercuric chloride/glycerol led to >90% cell death, while restoring a basal activity of Gly-I with NAC was accompanied by complete cell viability. CONCLUSIONS The cytotoxic action of nephrotoxic agents appears to be triggered by oxidative stress, leading to Gly-I inactivation. As Gly-I plays a key role in cellular detoxification, its inactivation under oxidative stress probably becomes fatal to cells. However, cytoprotection provided with NAC is significant and might have implications in preventing renal cell injury mediated through nephrotoxic agents.
Co-injection of wheat germ agglutinin-HRP and choleragenoid-HRP into the sciatic nerve of the rat blocks transganglionic transport.

We report on the surprising loss of transganglionic and retrograde labeling in the spinal cord of the rat after co-injection of the tracers wheat germ agglutinin-HRP (WGA-HRP) and choleragenoid toxin-HRP (CTB-HRP) into the sciatic nerve. Injection of WGA-HRP alone produced a pattern of transganglionic label consistent with transport by small-diameter primary afferent fibers. Small cell bodies were labeled in the ipsilateral dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and there was dense terminal labeling in the superficial dorsal horn of the lumbar spinal cord. Injection of CTB-HRP alone produced a pattern of transganglionic labeling consistent with transport by large-diameter primary afferent fibers. Large cell bodies were labeled in the DRG and there was dense terminal labeling in the nucleus proprius (Laminae III-V) in the spinal cord. CTB-HRP also produced extensive retrograde labeling of ventral horn motor neurons. When the two tracers were co-injected, we found few labeled cells in the ipsilateral DRG and there was almost complete loss of transganglionic terminal labeling in the lumbar spinal cord. Retrograde labeling of motor neurons was also significantly reduced. Even when one of the tracers (e.g., WGA-HRP) was injected 24 hr after and up to 10 mm proximal to the site of the first tracer (e.g., CTB-HRP), an inhibitory interaction was detected. The labeling pattern was always characteristic of the first tracer injected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Aerodynamic particle size measurement by laser-doppler velocimetry

Abstract A method of measuring the aerodynamic diameter of aerosol particles is presented. Particles are accelerated in a converging nozzle and their velocity is measured near the exit with a laser-Doppler velocimeter. Nozzle parameters and flow conditions are chosen so that the particle velocity depends primarily on aerodynamic diameter. Experimental studies utilizing a test nozzle are reported. Particles of a known diameter in the range from 0.5 to 11.3 μm were accelerated under various flow conditions. Particle velocities were measured near the nozzle exit. The measurements demonstrated the feasibility of determining particle size from particle velocity. Theoretical studies of the test nozzle showed that it was possible to accurately calculate the particle velocities. Additional theoretical investigations showed that aerodynamic diameter can be determined from particle velocity if the particle motion is not too ultra-Stokesian. A nozzle configuration and flow rate are proposed for the measurement of the aerodynamic diameter of atmospheric aerosol in the range from 0.5 to 10 μm.
Seasonal variation in the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of Cryptosporidium infection in dairy cattle in the New York City Watershed

We conducted cross-sectional studies in the New York City Watershed to ensure a valid estimate of the risk associated with Cryptosporidium infection in dairy herds. Our aims were to obtain species-specific estimates of the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in dairy cattle and to investigate seasonal variations in prevalence. We validated our empirical estimates using a Bayesian approach. Samples were collected on 32 study farms, once in each of 3 different seasons using an age-stratified sampling design. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum-like species and Cryptosporidium andersoni among the 1911 animals tested by the flotation method was 5% and 1%, respectively. Among preweaned calves ( 74% during the rest of the year. Both empirical and stochastic methods revealed a summer peak in the prevalence of C. parvum-like oocysts in preweaned calves. Determining whether seasonal variation in the prevalence and proportion of Cryptosporidium species shed by preweaned calves is due to management practices or ecological factors will have important implications for effective control of this parasite.
Taxonomy and review of the coccidian genus Cryptosporidium (protozoa, apicomplexa).

Reports of Cryptosporidium in various hosts and cross-transmission experiments are reviewed. Cryptosporidium has been found in mammals (Primates, Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla , Carnivora, Lagomorpha, and Rodentia), birds, reptiles, and fish. The only cross-transmission attempts that have been made have been from mammals to other mammals and to a few birds. Names have been given to 19 "species," but it is concluded that only four of these should be considered valid at present. These are: C. muris Tyzzer, 1907 in mammals, C. meleagridis Slavin , 1955 in birds, C. crotali Triffit , 1925 in reptiles, and C. nasorum Hoover , Hoerr , Carlton , Hinsman & Ferguson, 1981 in fish.
An examination of a multi-scale three-dimensional variational data assimilation scheme in the Kuroshio Extension using the naval coastal ocean model

Abstract The implementation of a multi-scale three dimensional variational (MS3DVAR) data assimilation scheme for use with the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) in the Kuroshio Extension western boundary current region is presented here. This work leverages on Li et al. (2013) , who initially developed this method. MS3DVAR data assimilation allows for the effective assimilation of both spatially coarse and dense collections of observations. Traditional 3DVAR produces an inherent filtering of dynamical features smaller than the decorrelation length. The MS3DVAR allows for a scale selective background error covariance capable of handling a wider range of ocean scales. Here the MS3DVAR is examined in an energetic coastal regime using simulated and real observations. The results show that the MS3DVAR reduces analysis errors when compared to a traditional 3DVAR scheme. Forecast errors appear to be similar for both systems and are most likely due to the coarse resolution of the surface forceing being applied.
K-12 Project Management Education: NASA Hunch Projects

To increase the interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) among high school students, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) created the “ High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware ” (HUNCH) program. To enhance the experience of the students, NASA sponsored two additional projects that require universities to design and implement educational modules to be delivered over two (fall and spring) semesters to the six high schools in the area of project management. These modules exposed the students to project management concepts and tools that can be applied in their HUNCH projects. The benefits of the project management modules are: 1) acquiring knowledge in project management, 2) timely, cost- effective execution of the HUNCH projects, and most important, 3) increased student interest in STEM. This article discusses the details of Texas A&M University’s design and implementation of the project management modules. The faculty members involved in the sponsored research projects designed and taught the educational modules. The educational modules were reviewed by the Project Management Institute-Clear Lake (PMI- CL) to ensure consistency with PMI’s project management standards. Texas A&M University partnered with three high schools during this project. Undergraduate students at Texas A&M University who were enrolled in a project management course using project management techniques to complete their capstone design projects mentored the high school students. The interactions between the undergraduate and high school students proved beneficial to both parties. Pre- and post- tests in project management were designed and conducted in each high school. The data are used to analyze the effectiveness of student learning.
The Logic of Policy Change: Structure and Agency in Political Life

Policy universes are usually characterized by stability, even when stability represents a suboptimal state. Institutions and processes channel and cajole agents along a policy path, restricting the available solution set. Herein, structure is usually to the fore. But what of agency? Do no actors choose? In fact, they do, even in policy environments of incrementalism, even amid hostility. But where agency makes for momentous change is during the punctuations of long policy equilibriums, perfect storms enabling nonincremental movement onto a new policy trajectory, departing from the old path. On both levels, the interaction effects of both structure and agency make a difference--incrementally in the first case, nonincrementally in the second. It's not just one damn thing after another, nor does just anything go.
Effect of ethanol and of noise on reaction time in the monkey: Variation with stimulus level

To determine whether the latency-increasing effects of ethanol were differential with respect to the intensity of the stimulus that initiated the response, three rhesus monkeys were trained on a behavioral task in which the latency of a simple motor response was measured following the onset of a pure tone stimulus. Following training, the animals were tested at a number of different tone intensities and functions relating latency to tone intensity were constructed. When these were stable, the animals were given ethanol in doses of 1.0–2.5 g/kg and the effects on response latencies to different tone intensities were determined. It was found that, for all except the lowest stimulus levels, the effect of ethanol was dose-related, while for a given dose the effect was equal across intensity. These results indicate that the effects of ethanol in this situation are on response execution rather than stimulus detection. The effects of ethanol were compared to those of exposure to high intensity noise. This treatment, which affects primarily the inner ear, resulted in substantial increases in latency to low intensity tones, but little, if any, shift at high intensities.
Theoretical studies of the effect of strain on the performance of strained quantum well lasers based on GaAs and InP technology

A discussion is presented of the use of strain to improve the performance of quantum well laser structures. The deformation potential theory is used to study the effect of strain produced by the addition of excess indium on the conduction band and valence band properties. Full-band mixing effects are retained in the calculations. Using a numerical technique developed to study laser parameters in arbitrary quantum well structures, the authors study the effect of strain on the threshold current density and polarization dependence. Dramatic improvements are found due to the strain-induced band-structure changes. Optimization results are presented which show that single quantum well structures have the best performance. >
Adjusting For Risk Selection In State Health Insurance Exchanges Will Be Critically Important And Feasible, But Not Easy

The Affordable Care Act calls for the establishment of state-level health insurance exchanges. The viability and success of these exchanges will require effective risk-adjustment strategies to compensate for differences in enrollees’ health status across health plans. This article describes why the Affordable Care Act could lead to favorable or adverse risk selection across plans. It reviews provisions in the act and recent proposed regulations intended to mitigate the problem of risk selection. We performed a simulation that showed that under the premium rating restrictions in the law, large incentives for insurers to attract healthier enrollees will be likely to persist—resulting in substantial overpayment to plans with very healthy enrollees and underpayment to plans with very sick members. We conclude that risk adjustment based on patients’ diagnoses, such as will be in place from 2014 on, will yield payments to insurers that will be more accurate than what will come solely from the age-adjusted and o...
Bayesian modeling for large spatial datasets

We focus upon flexible Bayesian hierarchical models for scientific data available at geo-coded locations. Investigators are increasingly turning to spatial process models to analyze such datasets. These models are customarily estimated using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods, which have become especially popular for spatial modeling, given their flexibility and power to fit models that would be infeasible otherwise. However, estimating Bayesian spatial process models is undermined by prohibitive computational expenses associated with parameter estimation. Classes of low-rank spatial process models are increasingly being deployed to resolve this problem by projecting spatial effects to a lower-dimensional subspace. We discuss how a low-rank process called the ‘predictive process’ seamlessly enters the hierarchical modeling framework and helps us accrue substantial computational benefits. WIREs Comp Stat 2012, 4:59–66. doi: 10.1002/wics.187 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Sensitivity and Specificity of the Tilt Table Test in Young Patients with Unexplained Syncope

The usefulness of the head-up tilt testing (HUT) has heen previously addressed in diagnosing vasovagal neuroregulatory syncope in the teenage population. However, data concerning sensitivity and specificity is deficient due to the lack of control groups. We compared the response to HUT in young patients referred because of syncope or near syncope (n = 44, mean age 16 ± 3 years SD) to healthy young volunteers with a normal physical examination and no previous history of syncope (n = 18, mean age 16 ± 2 years) and io determine the sensitivity and specificity of HUT. The graded tilt protocol was performed at 15°, 30°, and 45° (each for 2 min), and then 60° for 20 minutes. Cuff blood pressure was measured every minute and lead IIECG was continuously monitored. Results; 25 of the 44 patients (57%) developed a vasovagaJ response or became symptomatic after 13.8 ± 5.7 minutes of HUT. Three of the 18 volunteers (17%) had a vasovagal response and became symptomatic after 9 ± 3 minutes of HUT. There was no statistical difference among the four groups (with and without tilt induced vasovagal response) in terms of age and baseline hemodynamic data. The sensitivity of 20 minutes HUT was 57% and its specificity was 83%. The presyncopal hemodynamic response in patients with history of syncope that was characterized by a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure and lack of increase of diastolic blood pressure as compared with baseline and with other groups. Gonclusions: 20 minutes at 60° HUT has a high specificity for the diagnosis of vasovagal syncope. Its limited sensitivity is counterbalanced by the advantage of limiting the incidence of false-positive results in patients without the vasovagal syndrome.
Effects of Low-Dose Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR-ld) on Working Adults

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has produced behavioral, psychological, and physiological benefits, but these programs typically require a substantial time commitment from the participants. This study assessed the effects of a shortened (low-dose [ld]) work-site MBSR intervention (MBSR-ld) on indicators of stress in healthy working adults to determine if results similar to those obtained in traditional MBSR could be demonstrated. Participants were randomized into MBSR-ld and wait-list control groups. Self-reported perceived stress, sleep quality, and mindfulness were measured at the beginning and end of the 6-week intervention. Salivary cortisol was assessed weekly. Significant reductions in perceived stress (p = .0025) and increases in mindfulness (p = .0149) were obtained for only the MBSR-ld group (n = 22). Scores on the global measure of sleep improved for the MBSR-ld group (p = .0018) as well as for the control group (p = .0072; n = 20). Implications and future research are discussed.
The duration of delirium in medical and postoperative patients referred for psychiatric consultation.

AbstractWe wished to produce a complete frequency distribution of the duration of delirium in a large number of patients referred for psychiatric consultation, plot the data as a “survivorship” curve for delirium, and examine differences between postoperative and medical patients and between demented and nondemented patients.Methods: The senior author entered into the study 94 consecutive patients referred to him because of confusion and agitation and diagnosed by him as having a delirium and followed them closely throughout their hospital course. Patients were telephoned for follow-up after discharge.Results: The rate of disappearance of delirium appeared log linear for approximately 2 weeks, but rate of resolution for medical patients was slower than for postoperative patients. The mean and median duration of delirium for medical patients were, respectively, 13.2 and 8 days, and for postoperative patients, 7.6 days and 6 days. Combined mortality over 3 1/2 years was 46.8%. Demented patients had longer a...
Body-size differences in a colonizing amphipod-mollusc assemblage

We examined body size patterns in a colonizing assemblage of marine amphipods and molluscs. We collected animals over a 25 day period from an archipelago of pits that were drilled in brick surfaces. The percent of pits occupied, abundance, species richness, and body size of colonists all increased significantly through time. We compared size ratios of coexisting species with two null models, one that randomized individuals and one that randomized species-populations. For both models, observed overlap ratios usually did not differ from randomness, although species richness was consistently lower than expected for later samples. Results were similar for a subset of the data, a guild of suspension/deposit feeding amphipod species. Some assemblages did show significant deviations from the null models, but the results were spotty and varied among replicates. Overall, the evidence for non-random overlap ratios in body sizes of colonizers was weak.
Facilitating prelinguistic communication skills in young children with developmental delay. II: Systematic replication and extension.

Nashville, TN Four children with mental retardation were studied in the context of a multiple baseline across subjects design. Staff members used a modified version of the milieu teaching method to facilitate intentional requesting. The results replicated the finding that a modified version of milieu teaching was effective in facilitating the use of intentional requesting by children with developmental delays in an intervention context (Warren, Yoder, Gazdag, Kim, & Jones, 1993). This study also extended the Warren et al. (1993) work by (a) documenting that increased intentional requesting generalized to sessions with the children's mothers, (b) demonstrating that mothers who were naive to the purposes of the study were more likely to linguistically map their children's prelinguistic communication after the intervention than before the treatment, and (c) that mothers and teachers who were naive to the purposes of the study linguistically mapped the children's intentional communication more than the children's preintentional communication. We discuss implications of these results for early intervention, the transactional theory of development, and the importance of the distinction between intentional versus preintentional communication.
Disruption of the Golgi apparatus and secretory mechanism in the desmid, Closterium acerosum, by brefeldin A

The mucilage-secreting desmid, Closterium acerosum, is sensitive to the secretory inhibiting drug, brefeldin A (BFA). After 5 min of treatment with 5 μg ml -1 of BFA, the Golgi body displays the following alterations: the number of cisternae decreases from 12-15 to 6-7; peripheries of cisternae from the same Golgi body often fuse to yield unique profiles; secretory vesicles still emerge from the Golgi body; the cisternal stack dissociates to form irregular masses in the valleys of cytoplasm created by the lobes of the chloroplast. Fluoresbrite bead labelling shows that mucilage production ceases in cells treated with BFA even after only 5 min of treatment. Immunogold labelling using anti-mucilage antibody reveals that mucilage production still occurs in the Golgi body and associated vesicles. Helix pomatia lectin-gold labelling shows that wall synthesis still occurs in BFA-treated Golgi bodies and wall precursors accumulate in the perforate cisternal/vesicular masses seen in the TGN region of the Golgi stack.
Analyzing Defects in the Caenorhabditis elegans Nervous System Using Organismal and Cell Biological Approaches

The goal of this laboratory exercise is to increase student understanding of the impact of nervous system function at both the organismal and cellular levels. This inquiry-based exercise is designed for an undergraduate course examining principles of cell biology. After observing the movement of Caenorhabditis elegans with defects in their nervous system, students examine the structure of the nervous system to categorize the type of defect. They distinguish between defects in synaptic vesicle transport and defects in synaptic vesicle fusion with membranes. The synaptic vesicles are tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP), simplifying cellular analysis. The expected outcome of this experiment is that students will better understand the concepts of vesicle transport, neurotransmitter release, GFP, and the relation between the nervous system and behavior.
Organizing research and educational consortia

Power engineering is not a popular area for EE students today. However, power programs are competing with other popular areas in EE for outstanding undergraduate and graduate students. Multi-university consortia pooled the resources and talents together to allow a team of researchers and educators to work on globally important areas. Therefore, the consortia can be greatly helpful in increasing the visibility of power engineering as an important, innovative and multi-disciplinary field. The Advanced Power Technologies (APT) Consortium consists of Arizona State University, Iowa State University, University of Washington and Virginia Tech. APT Center at the University of Washington is an industrial consortium where industry members pool the research funds to conduct research projects of common interest. The technical thrusts of the APT Center at the UW include research and development in advanced power technologies such as market related methodologies, FACTS applications, power system computation and control, and power quality. The research projects supported so far include power system economics, power market simulators, voltage characteristics in coherency and aggregation, FACTS and voltage dynamics, and power quality assessment.
Effects of Deposition Parameters on the Structure and Photovoltaic Performance of Si Thin Films by Metal Induced Growth

A metal-induced growth (MIG) process was employed to deposit thin films of microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si) for solar cell applications. Due to different grain orientations of the crystals, the absorption coefficient of μc-Si is about 10 times higher than the absorption coefficient of single crystalline Si. The properties of the Si film were investigated resulting from variations in several parameters. A range of Ni and Co thicknesses were examined from 7.5 nm to 60 nm including combinations of the two, while the dc sputtering power was stepped up from 150 W to 225 W. The structure of the resulting film was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). SEM of the film revealed that 5 hr of Si deposition at 150 W yields a film thickness of 6.5 μm and a maximum grain size of about 0.6 μm. EDS data showed that at the middle of the Si film the atomic percentage of the Si was 99.17%. XRD data showed that the dominant crystal orientation is {220}. To characterize the photovoltaic properties of the μc-Si, Schottky photodiodes were fabricated. Ni alone as the seed layer resulted in ohmic behavior. With Co only, MIG formed a rectifying contact with open-circuit voltage (V∝). The combination of Co layered over Ni formed better thin films and gave a Voc of 0.24 V and short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 5.0 mA/cm2 since the Co prevents Ni contamination of the top of the grown Si layer.
Muscle strength is associated with adipose tissue gene expression of inflammatory adipokines in postmenopausal women

Sir—Ageing is associated with declines in physical function that lead to physical disability and loss of independence [1, 2]. Traditionally, loss of muscle mass has been thought of as the most important factor leading to loss of physical function and onset of disability. However, the number of older persons with excess fat mass is increasing [3], and a growing body of evidence shows obesity is an independent risk factor for ageing-related disability. Cross-sectional data show a higher prevalence of frailty, low function and disability, with higher body mass index (BMI) and fat mass, even in older persons with a normal amount of lean mass [4–7]. Longitudinal data also support a greater decline in physical function in more obese older adults [7, 8]. Since most mechanistic studies focus primarily on skeletal muscle, little is known regarding the mechanisms by which excess adipose tissue contributes to loss of physical ability in older adults. The relationship between excess fat and loss of function in older adults is, in part, mediated by biomechanical factors [9, 10]. However, increasing knowledge about the role of adipose tissue as an endocrine organ suggests there may also be biochemical effects of adipose tissue itself on properties of skeletal muscle that lead to loss of function, i.e. the association of excess adipose tissue with physical function decline may also be due to the secretion of inflammatory proteins by adipose tissue [11]. This premise is supported by evidence that muscle strength is lower in obese persons and in conditions characterised by chronic inflammation such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome [4, 12]. Our overall hypothesis is that adipose tissue contributes to ageing-related loss of physical function, in part, via its capacity to produce and secrete inflammatory mediators that subsequently affect skeletal muscle function. This study begins to test this hypothesis by determining whether adipose tissue gene expression of specific inflammatory adipokines, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα), is associated with clinical measures of muscle strength in overweight or obese, postmenopausal women.
Markers of Eosinophilic Inflammation for Diagnosis of Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Proton Pump Inhibitor-Responsive Esophageal Eosinophilia: A Prospective Study

Background & Aims Distinguishing between eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), gastroesophageal reflux disease, and proton pump inhibitor–responsive esophageal eosinophilia (PPI-REE) is challenging. We assessed whether immunohistochemical analysis of esophageal tissues for major basic protein (MBP), eotaxin-3, and tryptase can be used for diagnosis of EoE and to differentiate EoE from PPI-REE. Methods We conducted a prospective study of 196 consecutive adults who underwent outpatient endoscopy at the University of North Carolina from 2009 through 2012. Incident cases of EoE were diagnosed per consensus guidelines. Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease or dysphagia served as controls. PPI-REE was defined as a symptomatic and histologic response to a PPI. Immunohistochemistry was performed to quantify MBP, eotaxin-3, and tryptase. The maximum density of epithelial staining was determined for each assay; levels were compared between EoE and control groups and then EoE and PPI-REE groups, and receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed. Results Esophageal tissues from patients with EoE (n = 50) had a median 951 MBP-positive cells/mm 2 , whereas those from controls (n = 123) had a median 2 MBP-positive cells/mm 2 ( P 2 , and those from controls (n = 123) had 18 eotaxin-3-positive cells/mm 2 ( P 2 , and those from controls (n = 123) had 11 tryptase-positive cells/mm 2 ( P 2 ( P = .18, compared with EoE), 160 eotaxin-3–positive cells/mm 2 ( P = .33), and 243 tryptase-positive cells/mm 2 ( P = .28). Conclusions Esophageal tissues from patients with EoE have substantially higher levels of MBP, eotaxin-3, and tryptase than controls on the basis of immunohistochemical analysis. Assays for the 3 markers identify patients with EoE with 100% accuracy but cannot distinguish EoE from PPI-REE.
Best news yet on the six-factor model of well-being

This study provides a response to Springer and Hauser’s claim that the Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-Being do not comprise six dimensions. We show that their analyses support the theoryguided six-factor model, although their interpretations of the data reveal a lack of understanding of the construct-oriented approach to personality assessment. We also review evidence from five categories of studies (i.e., factorial validity, psychological correlates, sociodemographic correlates, biological correlates, and intervention studies) that document the distinctiveness of the six dimensions of well-being, including among subscales that are highly correlated. We conclude with an examination of the methodological corrections (negative items, adjacent items, and redundant items) employed by Springer and Hauser, finding all to be problematic, either in terms of scientific rationale or method of implementation, or both. Correlations among latent constructs resulting from these analyses are thus highly questionable.
Applying Wavelet and Fourier Transform Analysis to Large Geophysical Datasets

The recurrence of periodic environmental states is important to many systems of study, and particularly to the life cycles of plants and animals. Periodicity in parameters that are important to life, such as precipitation, are important to understanding environmental impacts, and changes to their intensity and duration can have far reaching impacts. To keep pace with the rapid expansion of Earth science datasets, efficient data mining techniques are required. This paper presents an automated method for Discrete Fourier transform (DFT) and wavelet analysis capable of rapidly identifying changes in the intensity of seasonal, annual, or interannual events. Spectral analysis is used to diagnose model behavior, and locate land surface cells that show shifting cycle intensity, which could be used as an indicator of climate shift. The strengths and limitations of DFT and wavelet spectral analysis are also explored. Example routines in Octave/Matlab and IDL are provided.
Dopamine mediation of positive reinforcing effects of amphetamine in stimulant naïve healthy volunteers: results from a large cohort.

A positive experience during a first encounter with a drug of abuse is predictive of subsequent use and might represent a vulnerability factor to develop addiction. This paper presents a meta-analysis of data acquired in 60 healthy volunteers who underwent a low-dose amphetamine challenge (0.3 mg/kg, i.v.) during imaging of dopamine D2 receptor availability with SPECT and the D2/D3 radiotracer [123I]IBZM. Amphetamine-stimulated DA release induced a small, significant and highly variable decrease in striatal D2 receptor availability (-8.3 +/- 6.7%). The magnitude of the decrease in D2 receptor availability was significantly associated with the positive reinforcing effects of the drug reported by the subject (r2 = 0.14, p = 0.003). Age was associated with decreased potency of dopamine to elicit positive reinforcing effects. This study indicates that both a large dopaminergic response and young age during a first encounter with a drug of abuse potential contribute to higher positive reinforcing effects.
Colorful induced subgraphs

Abstract A colored graph is a graph whose vertices have been properly, though not necessarily optimally colored, with integers. Colored graphs have a natural orientation in which edges are directed from the end point with smaller color to the end point with larger color. A subgraph of a colored graph is colorful if each of its vertices has a distinct color. We prove that there exists a function f(k, n) such that for any colored graph G, if χ(G)>f(ω(G), n) then G induces either a colorful out directed star with n leaves or a colorful directed path on n vertices. We also show that this result would be false if either alternative was omitted. Our results provide a solution to Problem 115, Discrete Math. 79.
Perinatal collagen turnover markers in intrauterine growth restriction.

Objective: To investigate bone and connective tissue collagen turnover in intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) pregnancies, by determining circulating markers of type I collagen synthesis (carboxy-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen [PICP], representing bone formation) and degradation (cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen [ICTP], representing bone resorption) as well as type III collagen synthesis (N-terminal propeptide of type-III procollagen [PIIINP], reflecting growth and tissue maturity).Methods: Plasma PICP, ICTP and PIIINP concentrations were measured in 40 mothers and their 20 asymmetric IUGR and 20 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) full-term fetuses and neonates on postnatal day 1-(N1) and 4-(N4).Results: Fetal PICP, fetal and N4 ICTP, as well as fetal, N1 and N4 PIIINP concentrations were higher in the IUGR group (p ≤ 0.038, in all cases). In both groups, maternal PICP, ICTP and PIIINP concentrations were lower than fetal, N1 and N4 ones (p < 0.001, in each case).Conclusions: Ty...
Antioxidant Capacity and Other Bioactivities of the Freeze-Dried Amazonian Palm Berry, Euterpe oleraceae Mart. (Acai)

The fruit of Euterpe oleraceae, commonly known as acai, has been demonstrated to exhibit significantly high antioxidant capacity in vitro, especially for superoxide and peroxyl scavenging, and, therefore, may have possible health benefits. In this study, the antioxidant capacities of freeze-dried acai fruit pulp/skin powder (OptiAcai) were evaluated by different assays with various free radical sources. It was found to have exceptional activity against superoxide in the superoxide scavenging (SOD) assay, the highest of any food reported to date against the peroxyl radical as measured by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay with fluorescein as the fluorescent probe (ORACFL), and mild activity against both the peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radical by the peroxynitrite averting capacity (NORAC) and hydroxyl radical averting capacity (HORAC) assays, respectively. The SOD of acai was 1614 units/g, an extremely high scavenging capacity for O2 ¥- , by far the highest of any fruit or vegetable tested to date. Total phenolics were also tested as comparison. In the total antioxidant (TAO) assay, antioxidants in acai were differentiated into “slow-acting” and “fast-acting” components. An assay measuring inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in freshly purified human neutrophils showed that antioxidants in acai are able to enter human cells in a fully functional form and to perform an oxygen quenching function at very low doses. Furthermore, other bioactivities related to anti-inflammation and immune functions were also investigated. Acai was found to be a potential cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 inhibitor. It also showed a weak effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide but no effect on either lymphocyte proliferation and phagocytic capacity.
Social activism and practice diffusion: : How activist tactics affect non-targeted organizations

This paper examines how social activist tactics affect the diffusion of social-responsibility practices. Studying collegiate adoptions of a controversial supplier-sanction practice championed by an...
Workbench for keyhole laser welding

Abstract Research has clearly demonstrated the advantages of keyhole laser welding compared with conventional welding methods. However, the development of a laser welding procedure for a specific application is complicated because of the multitude of process parameters involved. Developing practical proficiency in such a complicated process could profit tremendously from an interactive software tool for preliminary analysis of the process with a given set of process conditions. The laser welding workbench project is an ongoing effort to develop such a tool. Central components are a numerical model implementing the process physics, a graphical user interface, and the visualisation modules. The numerical model is based on balancing of surface forces and energy at the liquid/vapour and solid/liquid interfaces in three dimensions. The loci of the liquid/vapour and solid/liquid interfaces are obtained as a part of the solution scheme. The visualisation modules and the graphical user interface are based on PEX–...
Lack of survival advantage with autologous stem-cell transplantation in high-risk neuroblastoma consolidated by anti-GD2 immunotherapy and isotretinoin.

// Brian H. Kushner 1 , Irina Ostrovnaya 2 , Irene Y. Cheung 1 , Deborah Kuk 2 , Shakeel Modak 1 , Kim Kramer 1 , Stephen S. Roberts 1 , Ellen M. Basu 1 , Karima Yataghene 1 , Nai-Kong V. Cheung 1 1 Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA 2 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA Correspondence to: Brian H. Kushner, e-mail: kushnerb@mskcc.org Keywords: immunotherapy, anti-G D2 antibody, minimal residual disease, autologous stem-cell transplantation, pediatric oncology Received: September 08, 2015 Accepted: November 09, 2015 Published: November 26, 2015 ABSTRACT Since 2003, high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB) patients at our center received anti-G D2 antibody 3F8/GM-CSF + isotretinoin – but not myeloablative therapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT). Post-ASCT patients referred from elsewhere also received 3F8/GM-CSF + isotretinoin. We therefore accrued a study population of two groups treated during the same period and whose consolidative therapy, aside from ASCT, was identical. We analyzed patients enrolled in 1st complete/very good partial remission (CR/VGPR). Their event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated from study entry. Large study size allowed robust statistical analyses of key prognosticators including MYCN amplification, minimal residual disease (MRD), FCGR2A polymorphisms, and killer immunoglobulin-like receptor genotypes of natural killer cells. The 170 study patients included 60 enrolled following ASCT and 110 following conventional chemotherapy. The two cohorts had similar clinical and biological features. Five-year rates for ASCT and non-ASCT patients were, respectively: EFS 65% vs. 51% ( p = .128), and OS 76% vs. 75% ( p = .975). In multivariate analysis, ASCT was not prognostic and only MRD-negativity after two cycles of 3F8/GM-CSF correlated with significantly improved EFS and OS. Although a trend towards better EFS is seen with ASCT, OS is near identical. Cure rates may be similar, as close surveillance detects localized relapse and effective salvage treatments are applied. ASCT may not be needed to improve outcome when anti-G D2 immunotherapy is used for consolidation after dose-intensive conventional chemotherapy.
Leishmania-encoded orthologs of macrophage migration inhibitory factor regulate host immunity to promote parasite persistence

Leishmania major encodes 2 orthologs of the cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), whose functions in parasite growth or in the host-parasite interaction are unknown. To determine the importance of Leishmania-encoded MIF, both LmMIF genes were removed to produce an mif(-/-) strain of L. major This mutant strain replicated normally in vitro but had a 2-fold increased susceptibility to clearance by macrophages. Mice infected with mif(-/-) L. major, when compared to the wild-type strain, also showed a 3-fold reduction in parasite burden. Microarray and functional analyses revealed a reduced ability of mif(-/-) L. major to activate antigen-presenting cells, resulting in a 2-fold reduction in T-cell priming. In addition, there was a reduction in inflammation and effector CD4 T-cell formation in mif(-/-) L. major-infected mice when compared to mice infected with wild-type L. major Notably, effector CD4 T cells that developed during infection with mif(-/-) L. major demonstrated statistically significant differences in markers of functional exhaustion, including increased expression of IFN-γ and IL-7R, reduced expression of programmed death-1, and decreased apoptosis. These data support a role for LmMIF in promoting parasite persistence by manipulating the host response to increase the exhaustion and depletion of protective CD4 T cells.-Holowka, T., Castilho, T. M., Baeza Garcia, A., Sun, T., McMahon-Pratt, D., Bucala, R. Leishmania-encoded orthologs of macrophage migration inhibitory factor regulate host immunity to promote parasite persistence.
Toward a Sociogenomic Model of Leadership: A Theoretical Overview

In this article, we address biological models of individual organizational behavior, giving special attention to biological models of leadership. We believe that current approaches to biology in the organizational sciences assume that biological systems are simultaneously causal and essentially static. In contrast, we present a sociogenomic approach to leadership research. Sociogenomics is an interactionist approach, but its great strength derives from its power to explain how genes and environment operate, and so how they interact. The key insight is that both genes and the environment operate by modifying gene expression. This leads to a conception of genetic and environmental effects in leadership that is fundamentally dynamic, rather than the comparatively static interpretations of classical biometric approaches. We briefly review the behavioral genetics research within the leadership field, and then we interpret results of the behavioral genetics studies from the standpoint of sociogenomics. We then contrast these interpretations with existing approaches to genetics in leadership research. Finally, we outline some broad avenues of research that the sociogenomic approach indicates may be fruitful for a greater understanding of the biological substrates of leadership, the nature of leadership constructs, and the design of leadership interventions. We emphasize the utility of the sociogenomic perspective for leadership as a meta-theoretic framework, even for researchers who do not take an explicitly biological approach.
The Contribution of Exchange Rate Fluctuations to Stock Market Volatility and Cross-Market Correlations

This paper develops a direct, explicit model for the contribution of exchange rate fluctuations and examine how and to what extent international stock market volatility and cross-market correlations are influenced by exchange rate fluctuations. Evidence presented in this paper indicates that a higher foreign exchange rate variability contributes mostly to a higher local stock market volatility but to a lower volatility for the US stock market. The extent to which the stock market volatility is influenced by a foreign exchange variability is greater for local markets than for the US market, due to the fact that exchange rate changes are more strongly correlated with the local equity market returns than the US market returns. We also find that a higher exchange rate fluctuation contributes marginally to a lower US/local equity market correlation in most cases. While exchange rate fluctuations held a relatively large fraction of the variation in local stock market returns, there was no significant influence on the US/local market correlation.